38 zoos, aquariums and gardens with verified free admission. Lincoln Park Zoo, Saint Louis Zoo, Smithsonian's National Zoo, United States Botanic Garden, United States National Arboretum are free every day; the rest run scheduled free days — most with resident rules or reservation requirements worth knowing before you load the car.
| Zoo / aquarium | City | Free day | Who qualifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Park Zoo | Chicago, IL | Always free | Open to all, no restriction. |
| Saint Louis Zoo | St. Louis, MO | Always free | Open to everyone |
| Smithsonian's National Zoo | Washington, DC | Always free | Everyone |
| United States Botanic Garden | Washington, DC | Always free | Everyone |
| United States National Arboretum | Washington, DC | Always free | Everyone |
| Zoo / aquarium | City | Free day | Who qualifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Zoo | Apple Valley, MN | No regular free day | Minnesota residents currently receiving qualifying public-assistance benefits |
| Zoo Atlanta | Atlanta, GA | Announced in batches | Restricted to verified City of Atlanta/Fulton County residents |
| Brookfield Zoo Chicago | Brookfield, IL | Announced in batches | Open to all guests, no residency requirement stated for Free Days. |
| Shedd Aquarium | Chicago, IL | Tuesdays 5pm–9pm | Illinois residents. All adults |
| Denver Botanic Gardens | Denver, CO | Published dates | Open to everyone |
| Denver Zoo | Denver, CO | Published dates | Open to everyone |
| Fort Worth Zoo | Fort Worth, TX | No regular free day | Open to everyone |
| Chicago Botanic Garden | Glencoe, IL | Published dates | Illinois residents. |
| Houston Zoo | Houston, TX | 1st Tuesday monthly | Open to everyone |
| Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens | Los Angeles, CA | No regular free day | L.A. Public Library cardholders |
| Bronx Zoo | New York, NY | No regular free day | Wednesday reduced-admission tickets: anyone who books in time |
| Oregon Zoo | Portland, OR | No regular free day | Discounts: Oregon/Washington income-assistance participants |
| California Academy of Sciences | San Francisco, CA | No regular free day | EBT cardholders |
| Woodland Park Zoo | Seattle, WA | No regular free day | Varies by program — see freeText |
| Milwaukee County Zoo | Milwaukee, WI | Published dates | Everyone |
| San Antonio Zoo | San Antonio, TX | No regular free day | No general-public free day |
| New York Botanical Garden | Bronx, NY | Wednesdays 10am–11am | NYC residents all day Wednesday |
| Franklin Park Zoo | Boston, MA | 1st & 2nd Sunday monthly | Students living in Boston enrolled in Boston Pre-K or grades K-12, plus two family members |
| National Aquarium | Baltimore, MD | No regular free day | Everyone (paid); kids 4 and under always free |
| Cheekwood Estate & Gardens | Nashville, TN | No regular free day | Ages 2 and under free |
| Harry P. Leu Gardens | Orlando, FL | 1st Monday monthly | Everyone |
| Georgia Aquarium | Atlanta, GA | No regular free day | Children 2 and under free (no ticket required) |
| Monterey Bay Aquarium | Monterey, CA | Published dates | Monterey County residents only |
| San Francisco Zoo & Gardens | San Francisco, CA | 1st Wednesday monthly 10am–4pm | San Francisco residents with a government-issued ID showing an SF address — one free admission per qualifying ID |
| Cleveland Botanical Garden | Cleveland, OH | Announced in batches | Everyone (on the free summer evenings) |
| Cleveland Metroparks Zoo | Cleveland, OH | Mondays | Residents of Cuyahoga County or Hinckley Township |
| Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden | Cincinnati, OH | No regular free day | Military-only free days |
| Sacramento Zoo | Sacramento, CA | No regular free day | Paid admission |
| Red Butte Garden and Arboretum | Salt Lake City, UT | Published dates | Everyone |
| Utah's Hogle Zoo | Salt Lake City, UT | No regular free day | Paid admission (children 2 and under free) |
| ZooTampa at Lowry Park | Tampa, FL | No regular free day | Paid admission (children 2 and under free) |
| The Florida Aquarium | Tampa, FL | No regular free day | Paid admission; children 2 and under free |
| Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens | Pittsburgh, PA | No regular free day | Free: members, children under 2, and students of Pitt, CMU, Carlow and La Roche with ID |
The AZA Reciprocal Admissions Program gets most zoo/aquarium members 50% off (sometimes free) at hundreds of other institutions — check our reciprocity checker for how it works and the traps.
↥ Check another museum → Browse all free museum & zoo days →
Lincoln Park Zoo (Chicago), Saint Louis Zoo (St. Louis), Smithsonian's National Zoo (Washington), United States Botanic Garden (Washington), United States National Arboretum (Washington) never charge general admission.
Usually general admission only — rides, feedings, special exhibits and parking typically still cost money. Each zoo's page here lists what's included and links the official source.
Often, via the AZA Reciprocal Admissions Program — typically 50% off (sometimes free) at participating zoos and aquariums. Check our reciprocity checker before you travel.