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Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm Saturday 9am - 5pm Sunday 9am - 5pm

Topeka Zoo

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Enriching our community through wildlife conservation and education. Today, our Zoo features more than 300 animals amidst acres of native horticulture.

Located in the heart of Gage Park, the Topeka Zoo has been a favorite destination for kids and adults alike since the 1930s. As you enter the Zoo, your passport to adventure will take you on a journey to innovative animal exhibits – you can go on safari in Camp Cowabunga … enjoy the beautiful foliage of the tropics in the Tropical Rainforest … and interact with domestic animals in the popular Children’s Zoo. Come visit the new Kay McFarland Japanese Garden that features traditional koi ponds, lush landscaping, and exquisite architectural elements. Visit our website at www.topekazoo.org

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11/02/2026

Your holiday shopping starts at the Zoo! 🎁

Did you know you can visit our Leopard Spot Gift Shop without paying for Zoo admission?

From coffee and magnets to T-shirts, toys, and animal-themed gifts, there’s something for everyone on your list. Stop by to find a little something for yourself or pick up gifts for friends and family this holiday season!

With our Cafe now closed for the season as we prepare for Zoo Lights, the Gift Shop is also a great place to grab a snack or drink during your visit.

Come see what you can find at the Leopard Spot Gift Shop!

11/01/2026

Ready, set, glow! ✨🎄

Help us light up Zoo Lights at the Glow Roll Parade, on Saturday, November 21!

Kids ages 10 and younger can decorate their bikes, trikes, wagons, and strollers with holiday lights and festive decorations before rolling through the Zoo surrounded by thousands of twinkling lights. It’s a fun way to add a little extra sparkle to your Zoo Lights experience!

The parade begins at 6 p.m., with lineup starting around 5:30 p.m. Participation is free with Zoo Lights admission, and advance registration is required. Space is limited, so don’t wait to sign up!

Register here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/VSx2rYNedN

11/01/2026

Happy Stick Insect Day!

Stick insects, also known as phasmids, are masters of camouflage! They mimic sticks and leaves, and some even sway like plants blowing in the wind. Depending on the species, they may also use sharp spines or irritating liquids to defend themselves from predators.

Stick insects also play an important role in their ecosystems as a food source, natural plant pruners, and contributors of nutrients to the soil.

At the Topeka Zoo’s Schendel Bug Zoo, you can find two species: Jungle nymphs and Vietnamese walking sticks. Both are sexually dimorphic, meaning males and females look different. Female Jungle nymphs are larger and a lighter green, while males are brown. Female Vietnamese walking sticks are also larger than males and have horn-like protrusions on their heads. The Jungle nymph stick insect produces what is believed to be the largest egg of any insect!

Visit the Schendel Bug Zoo during your next visit to see these fascinating insects up close!

11/01/2026

Two weekends of spook-tacular fun! 👻

That’s a wrap on our second Boo at the Zoo, presented by Fit Excavating and what a great way to finish out the season! From creative costumes and trick-or-treating to watching our animals dig into their pumpkin enrichment, we loved celebrating Halloween with our Zoo community. Thank you to everyone who came out and made both weekends so much fun!

Now we want to know: Which costume stole the show? Tell us in the comments!

10/31/2026

20 DAYS UNTIL OPENING NIGHT. 11 HOLIDAY ZONES. ONE UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE.

The countdown is ON! Starting November 20, you can experience the transformation of the Zoo into a dazzling holiday adventure - Zoo Lights, presented by Evergy

Imagine wandering beneath brilliant canopies of twinkling lights, discovering vibrant colors illuminating the night and exploring 11 spectacular Joy to the World zones inspired by holiday traditions and magical places around the globe. Everywhere you turn, there’s another glowing scene to explore, a picture-perfect moment to capture and a little holiday magic waiting to be discovered.

🎟️ Your Zoo Lights night awaits! Get your tickets today and start counting down with us!
https://topekazoo.org/zoo-events/topeka-zoo-lights/

10/30/2026

One last chance to Boo at the Zoo this year!

Join us this Saturday, October 31, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for our final day of trick-or-treating! Our animals are getting in on the Halloween fun with pumpkin enrichment, and Tank is ready to show off his pumpkin-chomping skills.

Boo at the Zoo is presented by Fit Excavating Zoo members get in free and can skip the admissions line with the Member Only Lane!

We’ll see you Saturday for costumes, candy, and spooky fun! What are you dressing up as?

10/29/2026

Today, the Topeka Zoo hosted the fall KaZOO meeting, bringing together colleagues from Kansas’ AZA-accredited zoos for a day of collaboration and shared ideas!

These meetings provide an opportunity to share what’s working well, discuss challenges, and learn from one another as we continue working to create the best possible experiences for our guests and the animals in our care.

We enjoyed a day of discussion, along with the opportunity to tour Tiger Trails and Den Academy and share these exciting new spaces with our fellow zoo professionals!

We’re grateful to be part of a community of AZA-accredited zoos across Kansas that values collaboration, learning, and working together to make a difference.

Lee Richardson Zoo, Sunset Zoo, Rolling Hills Zoo, Sedgwick County Zoo, Hutchinson Zoo, Emporia Zoo

10/29/2026

Ostrich Update: Ducky and Petrie have started introductions, and things are going well!

Their amazing animal care team is helping the two get acquainted as they prepare for their eventual move to the big yard with our giraffes. They aren’t out for public viewing just yet, but we’re excited about this next step.

Swipe to the last photo to see Ducky’s growth from when she first arrived about a month ago to now!

Keep following along as Ducky and Petrie get to know each other!

10/28/2026

We have bittersweet news to share. Tatu, our African lion, will be moving to the San Antonio Zoo in early November as part of a breeding recommendation through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP).

The SSP allows accredited zoos and aquariums to work together to maintain genetic diversity and support healthy, sustainable populations of wildlife in human care. While it’s never easy to say goodbye to an animal we’ve cared for, we’re proud to play a part in these collaborative conservation efforts and excited for Tatu’s next chapter.

We know many of you have enjoyed getting to know Tatu, and we’ll miss seeing him here at the Zoo. Join us this Halloween weekend to visit Tatu and send him off with love from our Topeka community before he heads to his new home.

We’re also looking forward to welcoming two new lions to the Zoo in the near future. We’ll share more details as plans are confirmed.

10/27/2026

It's

Which animal has your heart today? ✨ 🩷

Address

635 SW Gage Boulevard
Topeka, KS
66606

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm
Saturday	9am - 5pm
Sunday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+17853689180

Website

http://topekazoo.org/

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