Indianapolis Zoo

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The Indianapolis Zoo, including White River Gardens, is a great destination for people of all ages! It is located at 1200 West Washington Street in Indianapolis, Indiana, 46222. The main phone line is (317) 630-2001. Visit the Zoo on the Web at www.indianapoliszoo.com, and be sure to check out videos at www.youtube.com/IndianapolisZoo.
PLEASE NOTE: The Indianapolis Zoo is CLOSED on Friday, June 12, 2009, in order to prepare for Zoobilation.
HOURS

Now-May 21
Open 9am-4pm Monday-Thursday
Open 9am-5pm Friday-Sunday
 May 22-September 1
Open 9am-5pm Monday-Thursday
Open 9am-6pm Friday-Sunday and Holidays
 Memorial Day, 4th of July & Labor Day
Open 9am-6pm
 
SPRING & SUMMER ADMISSION PRICES
Zoo Admission includes White River Gardens

Adults
$14.00
 Seniors (62+) & Youths (ages 2-12)
$9.00
 Youths (ages one and under)
 FREE
 Community Tuesdays presented by Indianapolis Power & Light Co. –June 2, July 7, August 4, September 1, October 6
 $7.00
 Parking
 $5.00
 
RIDES
Available on weekends only; rides are crowd and weather dependent. A single ticket is $2.25. Combo rides tickets: 7 tickets are $12.00 and 12 tickets are $20.00.
* K?mbo Family Coaster: 1 ticket (Must be 38" tall to ride. Children between 38" and 47" must ride with an adult. Persons 47" and taller may ride alone. Some physical conditions may prevent a person from riding.)
*  Train Ride: 1 ticket
* 4-D Ride presented by AT&T Real Yellow Pages: 2 tickets (Must be 38” tall to ride.)
* Carousel: 1 ticket (Children ages 3 and under must ride with an adult.)
* Pony Ride: 1 ticket (Times and dates vary as posted.)
SHOWS
All shows/chats are staff and weather dependent. Admission to shows is included in regular Zoo admission.
* Meerkat Chat, Deserts: 10am & 2pm
* Dolphin Show in Marsh Dolphin Theater: 10:30am, 12:30pm & 2:30pm
* Penguin Feed in Oceans presented by Old National Bank: 10:30am & 3:30pm
* Komodo Dragon Chat presented by Citizens Energy Group, Plains: 11am & 3pm
* Giraffe Feed, Plains: 11am, 1pm & 3pm
* Creature Feature presented by Dean’s Milk Chugs, Encounters: 11am, 1pm & 3:30pm
* Elephant Bathing, Plains: 11:30am
* Zoo Discovery—A Live Animal Show presented by Lowe’s, Amphitheatre: 11:30am
* Alaskan Brown Bear Chat, Forests: 1:30pm
* Elephant Show presented by Dean’s Milk Chugs, Encounters Arena: 1:30pm & 3pm
* Rhino Chat, Plains: 1:30pm
* Baboon Chat, Plains: 2pm
EVENTS

Community Tuesdays presented by IPL    June 2, July 7 & Aug. 4, 2009
Community Tuesdays are held on the first Tuesday of the month from March through November. This well-received event allows the Indianapolis Zoo to make visiting Indianapolis’s premier attraction easier for price-conscious families. A substantially reduced price of $7.00 allows visitors to enjoy the Indianapolis Zoo at half price.
 
Butterflies Exhibit                      Now through September 7, 2009
The very popular “Butterflies” show is now playing at White River Gardens. The Hilbert Conservatory comes to life with colorful species of butterflies and plants. Thousands of free-flying exotic and native butterflies provide a calming ambiance inside the Conservatory, complete with the gentle sounds of flowing water and soothing music, creating an experience in beauty and relaxation that is enjoyable for young and old alike.

Each week during “Butterflies,” the Gardens receives shipments of approximately 900 to 1,200 pupae of 25 to 30 different butterfly species from Florida, Costa Rica and Africa. The pupae are put into emergence chambers, where they hatch into beautiful butterflies and are released to fly freely inside the Conservatory. Approximately 1,500 to 2,000 butterflies will be in free flight at any given time.  Some featured “regulars” of the butterfly exhibit include the common Julia, the Blue Morpho, the Giant Owl, Postman, Admiral, Zebra Longwing, and Giant Swallowtail. 
“Butterflies” is free for Indianapolis Zoo members and included with regular Zoo admission. The Conservatory shows are supported through an endowment funded by the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation, Inc.  The Indianapolis Zoo Art and Nature programming is supported by the Arts Council of Indianapolis and the City of Indianapolis.

Dragons of Komodo presented by Citizen’s Energy Group              May 23-Sept. 7, 2009
Summer 2009 is when dragons bite their way into the Indianapolis Zoo! That’s when Dragons of Komodo presented by Citizens Energy Group opens, and these fiercely beautiful and extremely impressive reptiles will be on exhibit from Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day Weekend. At up to 10 feet long, Komodo dragons are the largest lizards in the world. On their island habitat of Komodo, they are the top predator. The Komodo dragon is known to hunt prey many times its own weight with a unique hunting technique utilizing its toxic bite. Many zoos in the United States and throughout the world are helping to protect this fantastic lizard species by creating captive breeding programs, raising funds and providing support. The two dragons, Hudo and Dipsner, are on loan from the Denver Zoo only through Labor Day.  This exhibit is free for Indianapolis Zoo members and included with regular Zoo admission.

Zoobilation                                                                                                 June 12, 2009
(The Indianapolis Zoo is CLOSED to the public on this day.)
In honor of the Zoo's newest exhibit — Dragons of Komodo presented by Citizens Energy Group — the theme for this event is “A Night on Dragon Island,” presented by Indianapolis Power & Light Company (IPL), and it will feature fascinating exotic decor, food and entertainment from southeast Asia. The Scott A. Jones Foundation will once again present the VIP Party just before the big event. The Zoo is closed to the public on this day.

Africa Lion Awareness Day                       June 20, 2009
Celebrate African Lion Awareness Day presented by Harris Bank. Meet the Zoo’s lions, learn fascinating lion facts from zookeepers, and observe these magnificent big cats on the longest day of the year!  Zoo lion mascot Kiburi and Harris Bank lion mascot Hubert will make special appearances!  This event is free for members and included with regular Zoo admission.

Elephant Awareness Week        June 20-28, 2009
This special week promotes African elephants – the Earth’s largest land mammals! Zoo visitors experience a close encounter with members of the African elephant herd through special elephant bathings daily at 11:30am, elephant shows at 1:30pm and elephant chats at 3pm. Local celebrities help with the bathings and the show each day. Guests learn about research involving African elephants that make the Indianapolis Zoo one of the top programs in the nation. Elephant Awareness Week activities are free for members and included with regular Zoo admission.

Honeywell presents Golfari 2009                                                                  July 15, 2009
Good golfers and duffers alike are invited to hit the links on Wednesday, July 15, for a fun and truly unique golf experience.  This year’s event will be held at Pebble Brook Golf Club in Noblesville.  All participation levels include a great day of golf, a picture of each foursome with Zoo animals, food and beverage all along the course, and a catered dinner with “zoonique” awards and prizes!  Once again we’ll be offering a nine-hole course competition that includes 75 minutes of golf instruction by PGA instructors prior to tee-off.  All proceeds from Golfari benefit the Indianapolis Zoo.  Participation fees for the 9-Hole event are $200 per individual and $600 per foursome. For the 18-Hole event, participation fees are $300 per participant, $1,200 per foursome.  For more information on registration fees and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Matt Holley at (317) 630-5137.
Additional Golfari support provided by Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf Architects, Pepper Construction, and Indianapolis Business Journal. 

Animals & All That Jazz (Zoo OPEN until 8pm!)     July 16, 23, 30 & Aug. 6, 13, 20, 2009
Come out to the Indianapolis Zoo each Thursday evening from July 16 to August 20 to enjoy the vocal stylings of this summer's stellar lineup of jazz artists. Along with the hip sounds of Indy’s most talented vocalists, guests enjoy a variety of special dinner selections such as ribs or chicken and all the traditional side dishes from Centerplate in addition to regular Zoo dining.  Concerts begin at 5:30pm at the Café on the Commons Plaza (rain location is under the Party Pavilion).

Seating available on a first-come, first-served basis. Guests are welcome to bring their own lawn chairs to relax in while listening to the jazz or to come and go from the concert to see the animals, with exhibits open and rides running until 7pm. With the summer sun setting and temperatures cooling, this is a laid-back time to see the Zoo apart from the hustle and bustle of daytime summer crowds.

During the concert, young guests can meet the Zoo mascots, see small animals with keepers, or play on the nearby playground. Guests from the Jazz Club of Indianapolis, Jazz Kitchen, Chatterbox Jazz Club, Indianapolis Jazz Foundation, and the Zoo will have information on programming as well as sign-ups for great prizes to be raffled off during the night. This event is free for members and included with regular Zoo admission.

Naturally Inspired Paint Out Reception                            August 27, 2009
This after-hours event at the Zoo’s White River Gardens offers an opportunity to bid on works created at the Indianapolis Zoo by a select group of artists on Naturally Inspired Paint Out Day. Visit the Zoo’s web site at indianapoliszoo.com in the Special Events section for details on how to register.
ZOO EXPERIENCES
Special Zoo Experiences give guests opportunities to discover the Indianapolis Zoo beyond the usual Zoo visit. Each experience is unique and brings participants closer to the beauty and wonder of the natural world.

* Dolphin In-Water Adventure: The Dolphin In-Water Adventure gives guests the opportunity to meet our dolphins up close and personal with an experience of a lifetime. Guests will discover first hand from the Conservation Education and Marine Mammal staffs what it takes to care for these amazing animals. Participants will meet a dolphin in the pool, learn hand signals for behaviors and reward a dolphin with fish.

* Adventure Tours: Adventure Tours take guests for a sneak peek behind the scenes at the Zoo. These tours give guests an opportunity to view the Zoo from a different vantage point and encounter animals in a new way. Participants will have special stage seats for the Dolphin Show, go behind the scenes, and meet an animal up close and personal.

* Elephant Art Adventure: An Elephant Art Adventure will take up to four guests behind the scenes where one of our elephant artists will create a painting to take home. Guests will meet the artist and learn what makes them unique in our herd, as well as help choose colors for their painting.

For information on how to participate in a Special Zoo Experience, visit the Zoo’s web site at indianapoliszoo.com under the Special Events section.

2009 Overnight Adventures at the Indianapolis Zoo
The Indianapolis Zoo offers two types of overnight programs—for educational groups and scouts. Both programs include an evening full of activities, including an after hours tour, an animal encounter, and educational games and activities. The group then sleeps over in the Dolphin Gallery or Oceans presented by Old National Bank building, has a breakfast buffet provided by Centerplate, and has a self-guided field trip the next day throughout the Indianapolis Zoo and White River Gardens.

Also, new for summer 2009, the Zoo will offer African Summer Safaris. This is a Nocturnal Adventure like no other. Zoo Summer Safaris are recommended for third grade students and older, including schools, scout groups, church groups, day care centers, 4-H groups and adults. Any group that spends the night at the Zoo must be able to provide a certificate of liability insurance. To register and check out available dates, visit the Zoo’s web site at indianapoliszoo.com and click on Education, Overnight Adventures.

NEW DINING OPTIONS
Looking for something tasty to tease your taste buds this summer? The Indianapolis Zoo’s food services partner, Centerplate, is kicking it up a notch! By Memorial Day visitors will be able to enjoy Noble Romans pizza at the Zoo. Also, there will be new featured menu themes —strawberries in June, corn in July, and barbecue in August.  Visitors can also get complete allergy information about the food served at the Indianapolis Zoo by visiting indianapoliszoo.com.

The public should call (317) 630-2001 for more information on Zoo events.

Located in White River State Park downtown, the Indianapolis Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the American Association of Museums as a zoo, aquarium and botanical garden. The Indianapolis Zoo will empower people and communities, both locally and globally, to advance animal conservation.  Look for the AZA logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things.