Saint Louis Zoo

Must-See Exhibits

McDonnell Polar Bear Point is among the zoo's most compelling stops. Opened in 2015, this $16 million facility recreates Arctic landscapes and is home to Kali, an orphaned polar bear from Alaska who delights visitors with powerful swimming displays in his deep pool. The adjacent Penguin & Puffin Coast is equally arresting: it was the first open-air penguin habitat of its kind in North America, where four penguin species and two puffin species thrive in a coastal setting complete with underwater viewing.↗↗

The Judy and Jerry Kent Family Sea Lion Sound is a 1.5-acre exhibit right in the heart of the zoo featuring a 35-foot underwater tunnel that carries you beneath the surface. Sea lions and seals swim directly overhead and all around you in a mesmerizing, almost three-dimensional display. During warmer months, the Sea Lion Show adds behavioral training demonstrations with Olympic-style dives and tricks.↗↗

The Michael and Quirsis Riney Primate Canopy Trails, opened in 2021, lets you ascend from the forest floor through a see-through tunnel and onto elevated boardwalks among the treetops, where you observe monkeys and lemurs in their outdoor habitats at eye level. Connected to the nearby Primate House built in 1925, it features eight outdoor habitats and a keeper's garden.↗↗

Centene Grizzly Ridge, an $11.1 million, 7,000-square-foot habitat, replaced the original 1921 Bear Pits with a state-of-the-art landscape where orphaned grizzly bears roam. Nearby, River's Edge is a sprawling zone that traces the ecosystems of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers through habitats representing Asia, North America, South America, and Africa—home to elephants, hippos, rhinos, cheetahs, and giant anteaters.↗

Rides, Shows & Seasonal Events

The Emerson Zooline Railroad is one of the zoo's most beloved attractions. This 2-foot narrow-gauge train circles the entire zoo in a narrated 20-minute ride, stopping at four stations where you can hop on and off throughout the day. In 2023, the zoo unveiled its first electric locomotive named after Mary Meachum, signaling a modern future for this classic experience.↗↗

The Mary Ann Lee Conservation Carousel features unique hand-carved wooden animals representing endangered species, and the Emerson Children's Zoo lets kids interact with domestic and gentle animals. In spring and summer, the Stingrays at Caribbean Cove lets visitors feed and pet stingrays and bamboo sharks in shallow pools.↗↗

Seasonal highlights include the Emerson Dinoroarus (a walk-through exhibit of animatronic dinosaurs including a life-sized triceratops and a 12-foot T. rex), Boo at the Zoo each Halloween, and U.S. Bank Wild Lights—a spectacular holiday illumination of animal- and nature-themed light displays each winter.↗

Getting the Most from Your Visit

General admission is always free, but individual attractions carry modest fees: the Zooline Railroad ($7.95), Conservation Carousel ($2.95), Stingrays at Caribbean Cove ($4.95), and the Sea Lion Show ($2–$3.95). An Adventure Pass bundles attraction access for a single day. The zoo is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (hours shift seasonally), and is closed Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Parking costs $10 per car.↗↗↗

The zoo is fully wheelchair accessible, and offers Sensory Inclusive certification through KultureCity with free sensory bags (noise-canceling headphones, weighted lap pads, fidgets) available at Welcome Desks. Stroller, wheelchair, and electric vehicle rentals are on site.↗↗

Twenty food options range from Starbucks to cafés with allergy-friendly and plant-based menus. For a quieter experience, visit on weekday mornings in peak season, or come in fall and winter when you may have the place nearly to yourself—zoo staff note that mild winter days offer a peaceful walk among the animals.↗

Behind-the-scenes tours ($35–$175 per person) grant access to off-limits areas with up-close encounters with giraffes, penguins, sloths, sea lions, and rhinos, plus visits to the Vet Hospital and Animal Nutrition Center. Advanced registration is required.↗

Conservation & Science

The Saint Louis Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and recognized nationally for conservation leadership. In 2017, it partnered with the Missouri Botanical Garden and Washington University to form the Living Earth Collaborative, promoting research on preserving the natural environments that sustain plants, animals, and microbes. The zoo also maintains a 355-acre breeding farm west of St. Louis for endangered species, and is developing a 425-acre second campus called Wildcare Park with a 2027 target opening.↗

Hidden Gems to Seek Out

Beyond the headline exhibits, the Bayer Insectarium houses over 100 species of bugs and the Mary Ann Lee Butterfly Wing, a tropical oasis where butterflies, dragonflies, and moths flutter freely around you. The Missouri Meadow outside the Insectarium showcases native pollinators and plants, particularly lovely in summer and fall. For a cool or warm respite, the indoor Bird House and Charles H. Hoessle Herpetarium are temperature-controlled and house fascinating species including the Komodo dragon. And don't miss the Bird Garden, a shady and serene spot hidden between the Bird House and the 1904 Flight Cage.↗↗

For the perfect photo: walk through the Sea Lion Sound tunnel for an 'underwater' selfie, catch Kali swimming in his deep pool, pose with the beloved Phil the gorilla statue (a longtime family tradition), or frame yourself against the backdrop of the giraffes or elephants at River's Edge.↗