Zoo FAQs

Advanced, pre-purchased tickets are no longer required to visit The Zoo, except for special events. Admission tickets can be purchased at The Zoo gate on the day of your visit. 

Please note: The City of Springfield charges a fee of $3 for in-state plates, $5 for out-of-state plates and $15 for buses/larger vehicles CASH ONLY to enter Forest Park. This is not managed by The Zoo.  

The City of Springfield charges a fee of $3/in-state, $5/out-of-state and $15/bus or passenger vehicle cash only to enter Forest Park. This fee is not manged or collected by The Zoo and does not cover entry into The Zoo. 

There is no cost to enter Forest Park on foot.

We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, ApplePay, Google Pay, and Cash App in both our Ticket Booth and Gift Shop.

You can purchase or renew your membership at The Zoo or online.

Please contact the Education Office at education@forestparkzoo.com. 

The Zoo is open on holidays weather permitting. Updates about closings due to inclement weather can be found on the homepage of our website or our Facebook page. For hours of operation, click here.

No outside food is permitted inside zoo grounds. Please be aware that there are no tables or facilities for eating inside The Zoo but groups and individuals are permitted to picnic outside of The Zoo in the surrounding park. Tables are available on a first come, first serve basis.

The Zoo does not have a petting zoo. We have a host of barnyard animals that guests can pet if they choose, but we take care to remind guests that anything with a mouth can bite, and petting invokes that risk.

Grain cones are sold in the Ticket Booth to feed some of our hoofstock (goats, sheep, llamas, alpacas, mini horses, donkeys, dromedary camel). No other animals may be fed food of any kind. Guests should not bring outside food into The Zoo.

Yes! Some of our chickens and peafowl (peacocks, peahens, and peachicks) are free-range on the premises. Sometimes you might find them in the Rose Garden outside of The Zoo, as they can fly over the fence, but birds are very habitual and will always come back to their food source and shelter.

Twelve or more people are required for group rates. Learn more about our group discounts and programs here.

The Zoo only permits service animals inside The Zoo. Per MA and ADA, emotional support animals are not considered service animals. No other animals are permitted.

There are a few rules you should know about when visiting The Zoo:

• Balls, bicycles, roller blades, skate boards etc. are not permitted inside The Zoo.
• Please leave all radios, noise makers, balloons, etc., outside of The Zoo.
• Please use walking feet when exploring The Zoo (please do not run!). 
• Smoking is not permitted inside The Zoo.
• No pets are allowed inside The Zoo. For service animals, please see the section on service animals.

The Zoo has a wheelchair available in the ticket booth at the main Zoo entrance. There is a $10 cash deposit required to rent the wheelchair but the $10 is returned to you when you return the wheelchair. We also require that someone in your visiting party leave their photo ID at the ticket booth while you have the wheelchair out and about.

If you live in the Springfield area, please reach out to TJO Animal Control at 413-781-1484 or Massachusetts Fish and Wildlife at 508-389-6300. If you are not located in the Springfield area, please contact your local animal control officer.