Franklin Park Zoo

Franklin Park Zoo and its collection

Franklin Park Zoo, opened in 1912, is a zoo in Boston, United States.

More than 220 species are kept in the northeast corner of the city's largest park, the closing link of the Emerald Necklace. Zoo New England runs the site, along with Stone Zoo at Stoneham.

History

Frederick Law Olmsted, who laid out the surrounding park, drew up an early scheme for a zoological garden that would have shown native fauna in naturalistic settings rather than conventional zoo displays. The scheme eventually followed was Arthur A. Shurtleff's, which broke with Olmsted's and brought in exotic species, and the zoo opened to the public on 4 October 1912. Municipal management ran until the Metropolitan District Commission assumed control in 1958.

Animals and collection

Animals on show include African Lion, Western Lowland Gorilla, Masai Giraffe, Red Panda and African Penguin.

Exhibits

The Tropical Forest covers 3 acres beneath a Teflon-coated fabric dome. For eight years from 1989 it carried an Africa-specific name. Its interior uses water channels, artificial rock and concealed barriers.

Things to do

Things to do include Boston Lights, Red Panda Chat, Penguin Chat, Lion Chat and Giraffe Chat.

What the venue says

• Boston Lights
• Tapir Chat
• Farmhouse Café
• completely free
• Accessible parking spaces are available in: The parking lot directly across from the Zoo’s Zebra entrance The lot adjacent to the Giraffe entrance
• A family restroom with an adult-size changing table is available in Nature’s Neighborhoods.
• Franklin Park Zoo is proud to be Sensory Inclusive Certified through our partnership with KultureCity.
• Sensory bags containing fidget tools, verbal cue cards, noise canceling headphones and other resources are available for checkout (at no cost by leaving an ID) at our admissions booths.
• Communication Boards You'll find these visual communication tools in our playground across from the Giraffe Savannah, and in our Nature's Neighborhoods habitat.