Small yet adorable zoo in the Central Park!!! Interesting collection of birds, seals, penguins and few other small mammals. 3 adult bears!!! Of note is the seal show that took place and attracted a large crowd. While not comparable to larger zoos - it is awesome for what it is!!! read more

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Walk into Central Park Zoo and you'll forget that you're in NYC. Yeah, it's all a zoo anyway, but really, this place is a much more peaceful zoo. These days, admission is about $17-$23 depending on your age. Reasonable, especially since it's not a huge zoo. I get in free because I have the WCS Family Membership. If you enjoy the Bronx Zoo and think you'll stop by here once or twice a year, the membership will easily pay for itself. You'll probably spend about an hour and a half here. You can spend longer if you catch one of the scheduled shows or experiences--I remember seeing a seasonal 4D show here. They also have restrooms and a small café. Right in the middle of the zoo is the seal exhibit. If you time it right, you can catch feeding time for the seals or the penguins. Secret tip: If you have no money, sit on the bench just outside the zoo and you can still watch the seals swimming around. Don't even bother with a map here. With the seals in the middle, just walk around them and you'll naturally see everything else. Complete the semicircle and you're done. If you have little ones and they're still eager for more, there's also the Tisch Children's Zoo just a short walk away. It's an easy addition to your day and has some great animals and hands-on exhibits for younger kids. It's a relaxing way to spend a couple of hours in Central Park and one of my favorite little zoos to visit. read more

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A cute zoo that seems much smaller than other ones we've been to but our son really enjoyed the experience and it didn't seem too crowded when we went. The zoo is well maintained and kept clean. When we came they were doing some gardening. Animals were active and looked happy. It was a pretty hot day, they have water filling stations inside near the bathrooms. There's two areas, the main zoo and the kids zoo area. We didn't really care for the kids zoo area because our son is still on the younger side but it was still very cool to see. read more

Central Park Zoo - Zoos Near Me - New York, New York

Small but fun zoo located in Central Park. It's well worth this to stop if you want to get some animal time in. They used to have a great polar bear exhibit, but I'm not sure if it's there anymore. In either case, I would recommend. read more

A lovely small zoo situated in Central Park, NYC. We enjoyed watching the grizzly bears wrestle and play, with lookout spots on different levels to view them. We arrived to watch both the penguin and sea lion feedings and that was amazing. Lots of flora and fauna, clean, well organized zoo you can walk through at your own pace. You can see the Delacorte musical clock.right outside the entrance, which goes off every half hour. There is a cafe and a gift shop. Tickets in 2026 for adults were 22.95 and the zoo is opened from 10-5. We stayed about 2 hours and very much enjoyed our visit in spite of the rain. Great for any age. read more

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We stumbled upon this zoo while visiting Central Park. I had no idea what to expect but was definitely thinking it would be much larger. It's comparable to the size of an animal sanctuary. We saw penguins, seals (or maybe sea lions), birds, a bear, reptiles, a white panther (or maybe a leopard), and a few primates. The bird enclosure is pretty cool as there is no barrier between you and the animals so watch out lol. It was an average experience, not bad but nothing extravagant. read more

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As a Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Member I recieve free access to the zoos and aquariums in our city for myself and a plus one. I also really love and appreciate the commitment WCS facilities such as the Central Park Zoo make to taking care of not just their animals but the species they care for in general. I cannot believe I have lived in Manhattan for years and never visited the Central Park Zoo before- I had an amazing time and will definitely be back. I visited this time to see their red panda exhibit- Red Panda's natural habitats are being threatened and lossed due to climate change, deforestation and other social and global factors. WCS and the Central Park Zoo are conducting research on what potential materials Red Pandas enjoy to be able to create new safe, suitable and healthy habitats for wild Red Pandas. I also GREATLY enjoyed the seals, sea lions, the snow leopards, the snow monkeys, all of the amazing birds (and bats!), I couldn't get over how adorable the Geoffroy's Tamarins were- my 2nd favorite type of Tamarin!!! Sally and Charlie were two of my favorite sea lions- such personalities! Do you know they are fed a variety of sushi grade fish tailored to their individual dietary needs? YUM! There are also 3 adorable bears at the Central Park Zoo! And a penguin and puffin exhibit as well! I took 200 photos and videos so I am going to have to be selective and share the highlights with my Yelp Fam, but I highly recommend you check this zoo out when you're in manhattan. Also, if you become a WCS member you not only receive free admission, 20% discount when you purchase tickets for friends and family, wonderful education but also a really awesome t-shirt!!! I have one suggestion- there are a few exhibits that are not very accessible to individuals with mobility needs or at my visit- moms with multiple young kids in strollers! One mom was really nice to tell me the snow leopard was out and where to find her, I asked if she saw the bears but she said she couldnt get up there with her 2 young kids in the stroller so I happily showed her and her children the many photos I had taken. She made the suggestion that the Central Park Zoo have a feed or a place for visitors to share their photos or see exhibits they cannot reach for various reasons. Brilliant idea mom! read more

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I loved it. To be fair, it's not Sand Diego zoo, but it doesn't have to be. It's nestled in the middle of a beautiful Central Park. Start by going to the zoo first. You can a sampling of everything from reptiles to a Red Panda. The place is not big, but it's beautiful, well maintained, clean and has a ton of areas to set down and just take a break. Grab a water or an ice cream, watch feeding of Seals, look for the Snow Leopard. It's a different world in the middle of a city of eight million. After, walk through Central Park. Can you even imagine a better afternoon? read more

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Very disappointed. I knew it was small, but it was even smaller than I though. Really only a dozen or so animals/exhibits. I mean, if you're in the city looking for a way to kill half an hour or so, by all means, check it out. Otherwise, this is a pass. Just not worth it. People are friendly enough, and its relatively easy to navigate, but otherwise its overpriced for what it is. read more

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When my kids were small there was a movie and show called Penguins of Madagascar that was supposed to be set here. The way they portrayed the way it looked was actually pretty accurate. The primary part of the zoo is set up with brick buildings or walls on three sides - with a few indoor buildings and about a dozen outdoor enclosures. The children's zoo - which is really part of the Central Park Zoo is across from the entrance and has petting/feeding with goats, zebus, and a half-dozen other enclosures. All-in-all, took about 90 minutes to see it all. read more

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For such a small Zoo, it felt like it was a lot to explore. I was here on a class trip and we saw sea lions, snow leopards, crawlers, birds of all kinds and many more. They had a cute little rain forest with so much exotic birds and the penguin area was awesome because they so many of them to see. They offer a cafe/food court for you to sit indoors or out, They have employees all around that are willing to help you out on anything you might want or need. They keep the areas clean and they have beautiful flowers all around the grounds. We didn't get to see the bears on this particular day, I guess they were too tired to come out and greet anyone lol. We did get a glimpse of the famous snow leopard and red panda they have on location. It's not the Bronx Zoo, but you can definitely find some entertaining animals and creatures to explore for the little ones. I would recommend. A thumb up and a Happy Yelping to you read more

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A New York City classic, this zoo is the oldest municipal zoo in the United States, and started as a single bear cub in the care of a Central Park messenger boy, while the park was still being constructed in the 1850s. In the 1860-1880s, this grew into a menagerie of animals residing behind the Arsenal (the park's headquarters) with donations of exotic animals by wealthy patrons, that at times were and weren't humanely cared for. In 1934 then parks commissioner Robert Moses addressed the adverse conditions and ordered plans drawn to improve animal welfare before showing them, which led to construction of an official 6-acre zoo that opened in December 1934 with significant fanfare. As the years passed the facilities became outdated and fell into disrepair by the 1970s. Once the New York Zoological Society (now known as the Wildlife Conservation Society) took over management of all three City-run zoos (Flushing Meadows, Prospect Park, and Central Park) in 1980; major proposals were drawn up to revitalize the zoos. After a five-year $35 million renovation, the zoo opened in 1988; results included--removing cages, transferring larger animals to larger zoos where they would have more space, exhibiting animals by biome (tropical, temperate and polar), then establishing of a children's zoo. Another major layout and reconstruction happened in the 1990s ending up with the current format today. I've been here a couple times over the years and have mixed feelings. On one hand it's a bit sad seeing animals in confined spaces who might normally have such a broader range of habitat. At the same time I understand the role of zoos in bringing awareness to the general public of animals and human ecological impacts. There is a role that zoos play in promoting/handling research and protection of endangered species too, which is important, much needed work. This zoo is relatively small with considering its square footage, however they have about 130 different species represented. Ticket prices as of May 2025: Adults (13 & over) $22.95, seniors (65 & over $18.95, children (3 - 12) $16.95, under 2 free. You need to purchase tickets by time slot, recommended to do so in advance, then you can enter within an hour if that time (ie. Enter between 11am-12noon if your ticket is for 11am. There are refreshments available for purchase at vending machines and the Dancing Crane Cafe, which can be on the pricier side considering the proximity to the zoo. Souvenir shop and bathrooms are available. I'd estimate if you take a little time at each exhibit it'd probably take an hour to go through it. For more info on the history of the Central Park Zoo: https://www.nycgovparks.org/about/history/zoos/central-park-zoo https://centralparkzoo.com/learn read more

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During our March visit to NYC, we decided to spend a morning at the Central Park Zoo. Located right in the heart of the city and managed by the Wildlife Conservation Society, it's a lovely escape that features tropical, temperate, and polar exhibits. One of the biggest perks of this zoo is its size. It isn't massive, which we actually found to be a huge plus! It takes about 1 to 2 hours to see everything, making it the perfect activity for a morning session right before lunch. Coming from Miami, we were thrilled to see animals we don't usually encounter back home. Our absolute favorites were the snow leopards and the grizzly bears. Right as we entered, we caught the sea lion presentation, which was incredibly cute--it was full of great information, and we loved watching them show off their tricks! Another great bonus: your ticket includes admission to the Tisch Children's Zoo nearby. It's a fantastic petting zoo area where we saw goats, sheep, and birds. You can even feed them, which was a highlight for the kids. My son's favorite part, however, wasn't the animals--it was climbing the giant spiderweb playground! If you're looking for a family-friendly activity that doesn't require an entire day of walking, I highly recommend stopping by. It's a wonderful, manageable experience for all ages. read more

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I'm a born and raised New Yorker from the Bronx that has never been to the Central Park zoo. I have a yearly membership and have visited the Bronx zoo several times this summer already. I decided to try something new and I'm glad i did. This is a small zoo esp compared to the Bronx zoo. You can see the entire zoo in 2 hours no problem. Got to the zoo around 1:45pm today and was done by 4pm. We took our time because it was a very hot day. We viewed all the animals except the snow leopards because they were hiding. Then we had dipping dots which i was very happy they had a vegan option for my son. He's allergic to dairy. We made our way to the children's zoo which had me admiring the beautiful architecture. I also loved the flowers everywhere. This zoo is beautiful and very clean. The children's zoo was very cute and def tailored for kids. I was sad we came as late as we did because we couldn't feed the animals but we were able to see them which was very nice. Lastly, we went to the 4D theater. We loved it, my son was so happy we came and said he loved this zoo. I def recommend it and def will be back. read more

Small zoo. You can probably get through everything is about 1-2 hours. My friend had a scroller and there are parts where there are no ramps. Pro tip! You can buy a basic ticket for $15. You don't have to do the all inclusive package. Wasn't well advertise when you buy your ticket at the kiosk. read more

This cute and cozy zoo is worth a visit for its location alone. When we went it was set beautifully against background of vibrant autumn colors on the trees, the NY skyline and the first Christmas decorations making their appearance. Is it a big zoo? Not at all. It took us an hour or two to get through it if that and we took our time. It's made with families in mind. They have the perfect amount of exhibits to keep the kiddos (and yourself) excited. You can ooh and aah and look and point at penguins and bears and tropical birds and red pandas, and by the time you feel like you're getting tired, you will learn you actually did the whole zoo. Why cute and cozy? Besides its size and beautiful location, it is also very nostalgically built with historical elements in the architecture, and the exhibits are really well kept and thought out. If this zoo were an app you'd say it's very user friendly. You can walk on autopilot and somehow do it all without really having to check a map. Anything to improve on? Well we went in it not wanting this to be a full day trip sort of thing. If that was your expectation (as in you wanted a zoo with the grandness of a San Diego zoo) then I can understand you'd leave here disappointed. read more

Honestly I was disappointed by this zoo. I wasn't sure what to expect, but overall I don't think I would return. The zoo itself is extremely small, very limited exhibits. I think this is a great zoo for small kids, you can easily see it all in around an hour. For me, I think the price for the tickets wasn't worth it. I'd rather spend the extra $ and go to the Bronx Zoo which has much more excitement and variety. I'm happy I checked visiting this zoo off my list, but I don't think I will return. You are better off just taking a stroll around the park and save your $! read more

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Central Park zoo is the absolute best. Whenever we're in town, we love to go check it out. It's very affordable. It doesn't take too much time to get through and there's so many things to see. I can't say much for the food at the food court, we had some pretzels. They were not that great, But it is really a peaceful place to learn a lot about the animals and enjoy the fresh air. read more

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His and I decided to come here to spend a few hours while at Central Park. The zoo is actually cheap too get into at $22 per person. The zoos in my city are way more expensive however this one does have alot less to do. Some of the exhibits that were available the last time we came here were closed. The mountain leopard exhibit was closed because of the hot weather. Seeing the penguin exhibit was cool. Love penguins plus it allowed us to cool off from the heat. Overall we had a great time. read more

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Fun day out! This is a great experience if you're a tourist or a local. There's so much to see and learn.

Visiting the Central Park Zoo was an unforgettable highlight of my trip to New York City. Nestled right in the heart of Manhattan, it feels like stepping into a peaceful, green escape surrounded by incredible wildlife. The zoo is beautifully designed, easy to navigate, and the enclosures are clean and well-maintained, demonstrating the care that goes into the animals' well-being. I especially loved watching the playful sea lions and the penguin feedings--they were both educational and entertaining! The Tropic Zone was another favorite, featuring exotic birds, reptiles, and lush greenery that transported me to another world. Although the zoo isn't the largest, it makes up for it with the quality of its exhibits, engaging staff, and the perfect balance between fun and learning. What really stood out to me was how family-friendly the experience was. Kids were clearly having a blast, but as an adult, I found it just as enjoyable. The staff was friendly, knowledgeable, and eager to answer questions, which made the visit even more enriching. Central Park Zoo is a true gem--accessible, affordable, and packed with charm. If you're in NYC, this is a must-visit spot that brings nature into the city in the most magical way. Namm sayinn.. read more

I thought the bird area was the star of this zoo because I've never seen a bird area like this. You can wander around and go up and down stairs to get up close with some of the awesome looking birds. Get ready because it is VERY hot and humid in there! The rest of the zoo is VERY small and the maps aren't really the greatest. A lot of animals were hiding but we did see the bears and the penguins as well. We were only able to visit for 1 hour and that wasn't enough time really but I feel you could easily do the whole thing in 2 hours. It was a memorable experience with visiting Central Park and the zoo was a bonus for sure but I wouldn't make a special trip to the city for it. Make sure you have other stuff planned for the day. Signage is a little confusing: if you see signs for children's zoo, keep going to ticket booth and main entrance. read more

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If you are looking for a great distraction for the kids, look no farther than the Central Park Zoo. The exhibits are fairly condensed in a small location, but the wide variety of animals is entertaining for people of all ages. The place is clean, the exhibits are well maintained, and the animals seem to be doing well. If you go, take a look at the playful seals and the grizzly bears, those seem to be a big hit with the children. Additionally when you purchase tickets, you have access to the Bronx Zoo, the Prospect Park Zoo, and the Tisch Children Zoo. read more

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I personally loved this zoo! It was small, but it made walking around and observing the animals fun and easy. The price was great, and with a group even better! Other than being small, I don't think there are any negatives. If it hadn't rained we would have stayed for alot longer! We loved the penguins! read more

Central Park Zoo - Zoos Near Me - New York, New York

It's definitely a fun place for little children. We only passed by the outside and on a good weather day. It was full of children and parents. read more

Central Park Zoo - Zoos Near Me - New York, New York

We had a great time at the zoo. It is very small but priced appropriately. I'm still amazed at the tropical rainforest section. I could t believe how humid and hot it was. The animals were all out playing when we went around 3 on a Thursday. Everything seemed well maintained and the animals appeared well cared for. read more

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Have a friend who works for MSK, so we were able to get in for free. Otherwise I think admission was around $35 per person I think, which I don't was worth it for the size of this zoo, which is quite small, but enough to kill a few hours. The highlights include watching the staff members feed the sea lions, which is at the center of the zoo. It's essentially an entire show where the sea lions does tricks for food. There's an entire penguin exhibit if you want to get a break from the heat, but be warned it stinks in there. They have a snow leopard, but I couldn't find it in the exhibit as it was hidden somewhere. This was the same with the red panda as it was no where to be seen. Otherwise you can see some grizzly bears, snow monkeys, exotic birds, and that's pretty much it. read more

This is a little zoo located on the east side of Central Park. I was able to make a same day reservation and the zoo wasn't too packaed. I was pleasantly surprised at the range of animals, particularly the tropical birds, red pandas and penguins. There's also a small petting farm area where you can feed sheep and goats. Its lovely for a casual stroll (perfect for young children) and an opportunity to see animals while being in the heart of NYC, but I wouldn't plan a trip around it. There are a few water stations so be sure to bring your bottle. P.S. I received complimentary tickets from our hotel. Ask your hotel or company if they have any corporate deals. read more

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I thought this zoo was great for a two year old. It's not large, but there is plenty to see and do and it's a fun way to spend an hour or so. Everything feels extremely clean and brand new. The pool and fountain area is gorgeous, especially when it's sparkling on a bright and sunny day. You can check out the seals here, and they also do a feeding show which was super fun. Other notable exhibits are the grizzly bears (these things are HUGE), the penguins which had so many penguins and puffins swimming around, and the indoor tropical rainforest area with so many exotic birds and plants. Admission is $13 and you can add on a few extra dollars if you want to see a 3D show. There is a snack area with some overpriced eats (to be expected) like $9.00 dippin' dots, woah. Overall this is a fun and different activity to do, especially in Manhattan. read more

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What an unexpecting surprise in such a big city! We were able to walk up and buy our tickets on a kiosk for twenty dollars, which is not a horrible price. The zoo, of course, is not huge because it is in the middle of a huge city. However, I still think that it is worth going to. We did go in the winter. However, there are many buildings that you go inside, so it actually wasn't bad going around! There were a lot of great animals to look at the store for the zoo outside of the zoo. I would highly recommend going back in the summer. Just to see if there's any different experience. read more

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Signage is confusing and walked all the way to the children's zoo and then turned around. It's probably because no one was there so the entrance didn't look like an entrance and coz there are signs saying 'entrance' and then a sign next to it saying closed ... we had a stroller and for the most part it was easy to get around until you got to the bears and either turned back around and walked the whole section again or carry the stroller down... I got my steps in and my arm work out and carried it all down. It's a lot different than it looked back in the early 2000s. I felt like there were more animals back then or maybe it was just a better layout field back then. We did the whole zoo in what felt like less than an hour considering we spent 30 mins inside the cafe because it was blazing hot. It's a nice zoo to see if you're in the area but not much to see. read more

The male staff member manning the cafe could use training in customer service. He said I can't touch the food unless I'm actually willing to purchase it. Why else would I pick it up? read more

I came here to see Alex, Marty and the gang because I assumed the movie was based on a true story. I guess not. Nonetheless, it's a pretty great zoo. It's smaller than I thought it would be. Like really small. Most animals seemed a little far away too. The variety animals was solid, just missing the big ones of course because of the size. Pricing is fair. Staff was nice whether we talked to them. Overall it's worth going at least once. read more

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Central Park zoo is small but holds some beautiful animals including bears, red pandas, seals that had me captivated, a stork I wanted to take home and a snow leopard among other animals. read more

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I came here with my family and we had a great time. We usually go to the Bronx zoo but was able to access Central Park zoo with a promotion my sister had. The zoo was perfect to walk around if you want an affordable attraction. I believe we took about 2-3 hours to finish the entire zoo. This is great if you do not want to spend an entire day in the zoo compare to the Bronx zoo. The animals here were so unique and very cute. The zoo was clean and staff was super friendly. They have a petting zoo but you have to go before a certain time I believe 2pm so check the times on the website. I would definitely recommend this place. I'm very sad to hear about the owl Flaco, a Eurasian eagle-owl who escaped from the Central Park Zoo. I actually saw him during our visit and hope he's okay! read more

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Central Park Zoo is reminded me of animation Madagascar, but has sea lions instead of lion, lol. What are you expecting in City Zoo? Actually, I'm pretty amazing that they remain clean and good display even less animals than actual Zoo. Some animal is only one in the zoo, some of them has a pack. In the tropical dome is nice and birds are frying free. The biggest animal in this zoo is a pair of bears. Even they have kid zoo next too this zoo but I think this zoo fits with small children more than adult or teenager. DATING for a COUPLE is also an EXCELLENT IDEA! You don't need all day walk then you will have time to go to other place. Only reason I go to this zoo because my cousins came visited from another country. I took them to many spots in Central Park then they wanted to go to the zoo, so as a host, I have to take them. read more

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Not my favorite zoo. But it was New York's first public zoo! The cost of admission for adults is $19.95. It's not the biggest zoo, so they have very few exhibits. I did visited during winter when there were fewer animals on display. I enjoyed the penguin enclosure and the free-flight area for birds. The first thing you'll notice when you enter the zoo is the sea lions playing in the glass pool. I arrived just as they were feeding them, so we got to see a fun show. The snow leopard was one of the most stunning animals I'd ever seen. Overall, 3 stars. It's a nice little zoo. read more

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We had fun at Central Park Zoo. We saw so many amazing and exotics species and reptiles, it was ridiculously cool. Yeah, the park was still going through some renovation and construction. Nice beauty of a old park to see. Good food here and staff. So many wild animals to look at. Just a nice family environment to be around. read more

I feel like if you are going to be in NYC then Central Park Zoo is a must. We stopped by about an 1.5 before closing time and we had enough time to see most of the animals. The zoo itself is pretty small but it has a decent amount of animals. My favorite exhibits were the monkeys and sea lions and I could literally watch them all day. They are so entertaining... The few employees we interacted with were friendly and the grounds were well kept and clean. Not sure if I would stop by again because I have already been but I'm so glad I crossed it off my NYC "must visit" list. read more

The zoo is in the heart of Central Park. It is pretty small so you can go through the exhibit in 30 minutes to 1 hour. They have a sea lion show at 11:30 am. The price is $19.95 for adults, $14.95 for children between 3 to 12 and $16.95 for seniors. The ticket includes Central Park zoo, tischs children zoo and one visit to the 4-D theater. If you don't want the 4-D theater, they have a limited ticket which is $13.95 for adults, $8.95 for child and $10.95 for seniors. Overall a great visit but a little pricey. I would not eat at there food court, there are cheaper and better food options outside of the zoo. read more

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