Groups within the Zoo-Museum District of St. Louis City and County receive discounted pricing on some programs. Please note: All programs require full payment before the program date.

• 45-minute program fee: $140 ($110 ZMD) for small groups (maximum 25 students, 2 chaperones).

• 45-minute program fee: $600 ($475 ZMD) for large groups (maximum 175 people; students, teachers, chaperones, siblings, etc.) - only available for select titles.

• 45-minute tour fee: $40 ($30 ZMD) for docent-led tours (maximum 9 students, 2 chaperone per group).

You will need to book as many programs as needed in order to adhere to our group-size safety guidelines.

An additional 10% will be added to the program fee for any custom design program.

Advance reservations and pre-payment of any fees are required for all programs. To schedule a classroom program or educational tour, please call (314) 646-4544, #6 (see scheduling information lower on this page).

A minimum of two months' notice is required for all programs if you want to pay by check. Programs scheduled between one to two months in advance, require full credit card payment at the time of scheduling. We are unable to schedule programs less than one month's notice.

Have the following information available when scheduling programs:

• School name, address, phone number
• Teacher or other adult in charge of the group
• Grade level and number of students
• Age appropriate program choice(s) and alternative choices
• Preferred date and time, as well as alternative date and times
• Know your travel plans, including what time you can arrive and what time you will need to leave the Zoo
• Credit card information if paying by credit card
• If booking multiple programs, we will need each teacher’s name and e-mail address

Please note: Groups may register for only one classroom program and/or one guided tour per day.

Scheduling a Program
Advance reservations and payment of any fees are required for all programs. (See below: section B "To Schedule," numbers 3, 4 and 5.) Please plan your schedule carefully, since it may be difficult to reschedule if your plans change. Zoo education programs are quite popular and are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

A. Before Scheduling
- Review the programs appropriate for your grade level.
- Please note: Groups may register for only one classroom program and/or one guided tour per day.
- Check your school calendar. When is your spring break? Do you have special testing days?
- Consider your travel plans. What time can you arrive at the Zoo? What time will you need to return to school? Groups arriving late will forfeit part or all of their program without a refund.
- A minimum of one adult chaperone per nine students is recommended for your Zoo visit. This is required for all educational tours.
- A maximum of two adult chaperones (one of whom must be the student's primary teacher) will be permitted in the classroom (s) with any given group, unless you reported that a student will be bringing an aide or paraprofessional with them. All other adults will need to wait elsewhere. If you have questions, please contact the registrars at (314) 646-4544, option #6.
- Adult group supervisors must remain with the students for your entire visit, except for the classroom program as outline above. Please do not make student discipline our job.
-The minimum age for preschool programs is 3 years of age.

B. Scheduling
1. Education Department Phone Numbers: Call (314) 646-4544, #6, to schedule classes and educational tours, Monday - Friday, from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Outreach and virtual programs may be requested using an online inquiry form available on the pages listed below.

2. Click here for information on scheduling outreach programs or virtual programs. Please call (314) 646-4677 for questions regarding these programs.

3. Scheduling Dates
Programs for Fall/Winter (Labor Day - December): Scheduling on or after the first Monday in May.
Programs for Winter/Spring (January - Memorial Day): Schedule after Labor Day.

4. Amount of Notice Required
A minimum of two months' notice is required for all programs if you want to pay by check.
Programs scheduled between one to two months in advance, require full credit card payment at
the time of scheduling. We are unable to schedule programs less than one month's notice.

C. Payment
For groups scheduling at least two months in advance, an invoice will be sent promptly. Full payment is due one month from the invoice date. If your payment is not received within one month, your program may be canceled. For groups scheduling with less than two months' notice, (with a minimum of one months' notice), full credit card payment is required at the time of scheduling. Your reservation is not confirmed until complete payment is received. We are unable to schedule programs with less than one months' notice.

D. After Payment
After your payment is processed, we will email confirmation materials to you. It will include the date, time and program reserved for your group. Please double-check all information when you receive your confirmation.
Bring the confirmation paperwork with you on the date of your program. Forward, if necessary, to other teachers and chaperones. Please ensure that you are abiding by all Zoo, Education, and COVID Safety guidelines.
Bus transportation guidelines will be emailed with your program confirmation. Please note that there is no bus parking on Zoo parking lots!

For groups scheduling at least two months in advance, an invoice will be sent promptly. Full payment is due one month from invoice date. If your payment is not received within one month, your program will be canceled. For groups scheduling with less than two months’ notice, with a minimum of one months’ notice, full credit card payment is required at the time of scheduling. Your reservation is not confirmed until complete payment is received. We are unable to schedule programs with less than one month’s notice.

Please note, the Zoo is a rain-or-shine location, and we will not issue program refunds for rain. If rain is in the forecast, we suggest bringing ponchos and/or umbrellas. In the case of severe weather, the Zoo does have Severe Weather Shelter Areas.

Please notify the Education Department at (314) 646-4544 immediately if you need to cancel. Another group may be able to take your place.

Refunds

One Month Prior to Program:

A full refund will be issued minus a 10% cancellation fee if you notify the Education Department at least one month prior to your program(s).

Between ten business days and one month Prior to Program:

You are entitled to a 50% program fee refund if you notify the Education Department between 10 business days and one month prior to your program date.

Less than ten business days Prior to Program:

There is no refund for groups that cancel with less than two weeks' notice.

Please note: In the event that your school and/or the Zoo is closed the day of your program due to severe weather, we will try to reschedule your program or issue a full refund.

If you have ordered Group Tickets, please contact the Group Ticket desk separately from the Education Department, at (314) 646-4718 with any cancellations or questions regarding your group. Please note that Group Tickets does not provide refunds on any pre-paid tickets. 

 

Program transfers must be requested a minimum of one month in advance and may be approved based on our ability to reschedule you. Transfers are determined by resource (space, instructor, etc.) availability. A transfer fee of 10% of the total transferred program costs will be charged. Transfer fees must be paid with credit card at the time requested. We cannot accommodate same day or next day transfers. If the transfer cannot be accommodated and you wish to cancel, cancellation fees will apply.

Gateway to Innovation Conference Grant

Via the generosity of Gateway to Innovation Conference, grant funding is available on a first-come, first-served basis through December of 2026 for under-resourced students. Please click this link to apply. The online grant application will take approximately 15 minutes to complete.
 

You will be required to upload a letter, on school letterhead, explaining why your students are under-resourced (please provide statistics and examples, as appropriate) and how they will benefit from receiving a Saint Louis Zoo educational program. Please have that letter in a PDF or Word document prepared, prior to starting the application. Letters must be submitted by the classroom teacher, school representative, or school administrator and be written on school letterhead.
 

Additionally, you will need to know your preferred type of program (virtual, on Zoo grounds, or outreach), as well as know the program titles you are requesting.

Questions (?) Please contact the Manager of Learning Experiences at outreachrequests@stlzoo.org.