Franklin Park Zoo

Franklin Park Zoo is a 72-acre zoo inside Boston’s historic Franklin Park, operated by Zoo New England, which also runs Stone Zoo in Stoneham. More than 50 species of mammals, reptiles, birds and amphibians live here. Highlights include the African lion in the Kalahari Kingdom, the Masai giraffe on the Giraffe Savannah, the Tropical Forest, and Gorilla Grove, a seasonal outdoor gorilla habitat with an observation outpost at its center.

At Nature’s Neighborhoods, the award-winning Children’s Zoo, visitors can get up close with prairie dogs and climb the Eagle’s Nest, and Franklin Farm has a petting zoo. Summer evenings bring Boston Lights: A Lantern Experience, with more than 50 large displays made of hundreds of lanterns. Conservation drives Zoo New England’s mission, from turtle and New England cottontail programs to gorilla and snow leopard projects abroad.

What to Know

• The zoo is open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas.
• Members enter free, and members and nonprofits get discounts on venue rentals.
• Venues across the grounds can be booked for parties and private events, some year-round.
• Education programs include ZooCamp, school programs and teen programs.