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Memphis Zoo, Memphis, TN

Photo: Unicurse, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

AttractionsFamily FavoriteOutdoor Adventure

Memphis Zoo

2000 Prentiss Pl · Memphis, TN

Why you should go…

Open since 1906 in Midtown Memphis, this zoo spreads over 76 acres and houses about 3,500 animals from some 500 species. You walk through themed areas such as Northwest Passage with polar bears, Teton Trek, the African Veldt, Primate Canyon, Dragon's Lair with Komodo dragons and Zambezi River Hippo Camp. The China exhibit once held giant pandas, and the last one returned to China in 2023 when their 20-year loan ended.

  • #zoo
  • #animals
  • #polar bears
  • #midtown memphis
  • #kids

Good to know

General attractions guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Book the time slot, not just the ticket

    Timed entry is now the norm at big-draw attractions, and online tickets are often cheaper than the gate.

  • Grab the daily schedule on arrival

    Feeding times, keeper talks, and shows run on a posted timetable that changes day to day.

  • The first hour is the quietest

    Queues build through late morning and peak after lunch, so an early start buys you the shortest waits.

  • Budget past the ticket price

    Parking, lockers, strollers, and food inside the gates are common extras worth planning for.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Memphis Zoo, ordered by straight-line distance.

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Sun Studio

    Under $25

    Tour the small Memphis studio where Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis cut records in the 1950s.

    2.6 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Museums
    History Buff

    Stax Museum of American Soul Music

    Under $25

    Explore soul music history on the site of Stax Records, with Isaac Hayes's gold-trimmed Cadillac and a recreated Studio A.

    3.2 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Shopping
    Quirky Fun

    Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid

    Free

    Shop outdoor gear inside a 32-story pyramid with an indoor cypress swamp, aquariums and an elevator ride to a glass-floored deck.

    3.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Shopping

  • Stay
    Iconic

    The Peabody Memphis

    $50+

    Stay at a 1925 grand hotel or stop in the lobby to watch five mallard ducks march to the fountain.

    3.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Stay

  • Nightlife
    Iconic

    Beale Street

    Free

    Walk a historic downtown Memphis street lined with blues clubs, bars, restaurants and shops with live music.

    3.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Nightlife

  • Museums
    Iconic

    National Civil Rights Museum

    $25–$50

    Walk through the story of the American civil rights movement at the Lorraine Motel, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was killed in 1968.

    3.8 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums