Visiting The Memphis Zoo
In the past decade, the Memphis Zoo has become one of the premier zoos in the Southeastern US.
The Memphis Zoo was founded in 1905 when a bear named Natch, the mascot for the Memphis baseball team, was chained to a tree in Overton Park.
Throughout the past century, the Memphis Zoo has grown and now bears the distinction of being one of only 4 US zoos to host a pair of Giant Pandas, Ya-Ya and Le-Le.
In 2006, the zoo opened its highly anticipated Northwest Passage Exhibit which allows zoo visitors to get "up close and personal" with its 3 Polar Bears: Cranbeary, Payton, and Haley. Visitors can watch the bears and sea lions swim and play in an underwater viewing building. There are also daily sea lion shows in the 500-seat ampitheatre.
Admission prices at the Memphis Zoo are comparable to those at other major zoos. Admission for those 12-59 is $13, 12-and-under are $8 and Seniors are $12. Children under 2 are free. There is a $3 fee to park.
The Memphis Zoo has a wonderful membership program that allows members to visit reciprocal zoos throughout the country for free or at a discount. If you plan to visit the Memphis Zoo again during the year or if you plan to visit one of their reciprocal zoos, it is quite beneficial to buy the membership. A list of reciprocal zoos can be found HERE.
