General Education Programs
The Education Department offers programs designed to help individuals and families of all ages and abilities learn through experience, involvement and discovery. The age limitations change per program.
Family and Group Programs
Make your Zoo visit even more memorable with a Safari Walking Tour! Tag along with our professional interpretive guides as they offer insight to the animal world with engaging stories, interesting facts and animal observations. This tour does not include touching live animals or access to non-public areas.
Choose one of the following topics:
Back from the Brink Walking Safari
Meet us for a walking safari tour through River’s Edge as we focus on the challenges and successes of breeding endangered species.
Here, There, and Everywhere: WildCare Walking Safari
Join us as we explore why and how the Zoo is a world leader in saving endangered species through the work of our WildCare Institute.
Walk on the Wild Side Safari
Join our guide as you trek through the wilderness, passing through Centene Grizzly Ridge, McDonnell Polar Bear Point and Donn & Marilyn Lipton Fragile Forest. Discover the simple things you can do to help save animals!
Tour Length: 60 minutes
Limited to 10 participants in the same family group, ages 8 and up. A minimum of one adult must accompany the group.
Fee per family group: $80
Please complete the inquiry form for program booking. Booking times available on select days, between 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
For families and organized groups with participants ages 5 and up. Fees listed are per group with an additional cost for extra participants.
Ever wonder what the Zoo is like after dark? Gather some family and friends and join us for this amazing opportunity to explore the Zoo at night! A Zoo educator will be the guide for your family to learn more about the animals. Groups of over 12 participants are encouraged to split into two groups for a more personalized experience.
Fee: $300 for your group of up to 9 family members or friends, a registered adult must accompany the group. $30 per each additional participant up to a maximum of 20 family members or friends.
Tour Length: 90 minutes.
For family groups with children ages 5 and up. A minimum of one adult must
accompany the group.
Travel through prehistoric time to escape the dinos! Uncover clues and solve puzzles to find your way out of Dinoroarus! Discover what happened to the dinosaurs and what great things they’ve left behind for us. Limited to eight people per family group.
Limited to 8 participants per group.
Fees are PER GROUP. Maximum of two groups per session.
Fee: Zoo Members $120/General Public $130
| Code | Date | Day | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
I0414ED | April 14 | F | 6-7:30 p.m. |
| I0513ED | May 13 | Sa | 6-7:30 p.m. |
| I0606ED | June 6 | Tu | 6-7:30 p.m. |
| I0724ED | July 24 | M | 6-7:30 p.m. |
| I0808ED | August 8 | Tu | 6-7:30 p.m. |
| I0912ED | September 12 | Tu | 5:30-7 p.m. |
For families with children ages 5 and up; one adult and one child minimum.
Have you ever wondered what it is like to be a zookeeper? Join us on an adventure to see what it takes to care for animals big and small! During this fun-filled night, you will put your skills to the test by playing some zookeeper challenge games, and you will discover some unique animal stories.
Limited to 40 participants per session.
Instructors: Zoo Educators
Fee: Zoo Members $50
General Public $55
| Code | Date | Day | Time |
| N0617ZC | June 17 | Sat-Sun | 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 a.m. |
| N0728ZC | July 28 | F-Sat | 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 a.m. |
Adult Programs
For adult groups with participants ages 18 and up. Fees listed are per group with an additional cost for extra participants.
Ever wonder what the Zoo is like after it closes? Gather some friends and join us for this amazing opportunity to explore the Zoo at night! A Zoo educator will be the guide for your group to learn more about the animals. Groups of over 12 participants are encouraged to split into two groups for a more personalized experience.
Fee: $300 for your group of up to 9 friends. $30 per each additional participant up to a maximum of 20 family members or friends.
Tour Length: 90 minutes.
For participants ages 18 and up
To help the Zoo save animals from extinction, you must unlock the secrets of the Zoo through a team-building adventure! Race against time to complete your mission by solving a series of puzzles and finding clues hidden along the pathways. Use these clues to discover what the Zoo is all about! We have a new challenge this year and welcome any past participants. Build your team of up to 10 individuals ages 18 and up.
Limited to 10 participants per TEAM
Fees are PER TEAM. Maximum of two teams per session.
Fee: Zoo Members $180/General Public $190
| Code | Date | Day | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| I0425EZ | April 25 | Tu | 6-7:30 p.m. |
| I0516EZ | May 16 | Tu | 6-7:30 p.m. |
| I0620EZ | June 20 | Tu | 6-7:30 p.m. |
| I0711EZ | July 11 | Tu | 6-7:30 p.m. |
| I0821EZ | August 21 | M | 6-7:30 p.m. |
| I0905EZ | September 5 | Tu | 5:30-7 p.m. |
Private Overnight Programs
The Saint Louis Zoo is home to some incredible endotherms (or “warm-blooded” animals)! Some endotherms have feathers, while others have fur, but all of them are able to control their own body temperatures. This means that they can survive in some pretty extreme habitats. Come discover the birds and mammals that live at the Zoo, and how being warm and fuzzy helps them to survive!
Overnight evening activities will include rotations through exciting activities, an evening snack and a night hike around Zoo grounds. The morning portion of the overnight adventure includes a continental breakfast, a morning stroll around Zoo grounds to see the animals wake up, a souvenir Zoo patch and glow-in-the-dark overnight cup!
For organized groups with participants ages 5 and up. You can schedule your own private group overnight on select evenings. When you schedule your own overnight, we use the theme that we are currently offering, but we tailor them to meet your needs. Whether it’s for a mixed-scout group, a family group or a camp, we have an overnight for you.
Limited to 40 participants, 16 participants minimum.
Fee: $50 per participant
For organized groups with participants ages 5 and up. Whether it’s for a mixed-scout group, a family group or a camp, this overnight will work for you!
Join us for this amazing opportunity to sleep inside the Sea Lion Sound tunnel! We will explore some of our aquatic life at the Zoo by visiting Stingrays at Caribbean Cove. We will end the night by laying out sleeping bags inside the tunnel. You will awake under the sea and, hopefully, under a sea lion! The overnight includes a flashlight tour of Zoo grounds, an evening snack, a reusable cup and a continental breakfast in the morning.
Program Offered: May through September on select weekend nights
Limited to 10 participants per session
Fee: $1000 for up to 10 participants
For adults ages 18 and up
Join us for this amazing opportunity to sleep inside the Sea Lion Sound tunnel! You will talk with Zoo staff about how we take care of our animal collection and then team up to solve a scavenger hunt. After a night hike, we will end the night by laying out sleeping bags inside the tunnel. You will awake under the sea and, hopefully, under a sea lion! The overnight includes a flashlight tour of Zoo grounds, an evening snack, a reusable cup and a continental breakfast in the morning.
Program Offered: May through September on select weekend nights
Limited to 10 participants per session
Fee: $1000 for up to 10 participants
Have you ever wondered what it is like to be a zookeeper? Join us on an adventure to see what it takes to care for animals big and small! During this fun-filled night, you will put your skills to the test by playing some zookeeper challenge games, and you will discover some unique animal stories.
Overnight evening activities will include rotations through exciting activities, an evening snack and a night hike around Zoo grounds. The morning portion of the overnight adventure includes a continental breakfast, a morning stroll around Zoo grounds to see the animals wake up, a souvenir Zoo patch and glow-in-the-dark overnight cup!
For organized groups with participants ages 5 and up. You can schedule your own private group overnight on select evenings. When you schedule your own overnight, we use the theme that we are currently offering, but we tailor them to meet your needs. Whether it’s for a mixed-scout group, a family group or a camp, we have an overnight for you.
Limited to 40 participants, 16 participants minimum.
Fee: $50 per participant
Private Programs
For participants entering 9th grade and up, and adults
Join us for an amazing experience at Stingrays at Caribbean Cove! Meet the rays and learn how to touch and feed them. We’ll make enrichment for our rays and find out how we can help animals in the wild. After learning about what it takes to care for these special animals, you’ll have the opportunity to be in the pool for an up-close ray interaction (at the keeper’s discretion)! Water shoes will be provided. Please wear a T-shirt, khaki or jean shorts, and closed-toe shoes. Bring a bottle of water and a camera. Get ready to wade with our rays!
Note: We do not recommend this program for participants with shellfish allergies. Please mention any latex allergies at the time of booking. Entry into the stingray pool is not guaranteed. Pool entry will be determined by the discretion of the stingray keeper.
Limited to two participants per session. Fees are listed per person.
Program Length: 2.5 hours
Program Time: 2-4:30 p.m.
Instructors: Zoo Interpreters
Fee: Zoo Members $200
General Public $225
Book Now
For adult groups with participants ages 18 and up. Fees listed are per group with an additional cost for extra participants.
Ever wonder what the Zoo is like after it closes? Gather some friends and join us for this amazing opportunity to explore the Zoo at night! A Zoo educator will be the guide for your group to learn more about the animals. Groups of over 12 participants are encouraged to split into two groups for a more personalized experience.
Fee: $300 for your group of up to 9 friends. $30 per each additional participant up to a maximum of 20 family members or friends.
Tour Length: 90 minutes.
For families and organized groups with participants ages 5 and up. Fees listed are per group with an additional cost for extra participants.
Ever wonder what the Zoo is like after dark? Gather some family and friends and join us for this amazing opportunity to explore the Zoo at night! A Zoo educator will be the guide for your family to learn more about the animals. Groups of over 12 participants are encouraged to split into two groups for a more personalized experience.
Fee: $300 for your group of up to 9 family members or friends, a registered adult must accompany the group. $30 per each additional participant up to a maximum of 20 family members or friends.
Tour Length: 90 minutes.