Visit

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO!

We look forward to welcoming you to Brookfield Zoo! Enjoy our 235-acre zoological park, featuring 3,481 animals belonging to 511 species. Read on to learn how to maximize your zoo visit!

HOURS

Weekdays 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Weekends 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. 

Buildings close 30 minutes before the zoo.
 

TICKETS

Click here to purchase tickets.

           

HAMILL FAMILY PLAY ZOO

At the award-winning Hamill Family Play Zoo, young children and their families explore, play, and learn by doing. Our goal is for our guests to have fun and grow their lifelong connections with animals and nature.


TICKETS
General Admission: $2.00 
Basic Membership: $1.00 or member voucher
Plus Membership or Unlimited Membership: Free
Children 2 & under: Free

SCHEDULE
Mondays-Thursdays 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Fridays-Saturdays 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Sundays 12 - 4 p.m.

Animal ambassadorS
 

HAMILL FAMILY WILD ENCOUNTERS

At just over three acres, this exhibit is geared toward guests of all ages and features unforgettable hands-on experiences that include opportunities to touch and feed animals, including parakeets and goats. You'll also get to see llamas, wallabies, and reindeer, not to mention Zoo Chats and Animal Ambassador appearances throughout the day. 

*Seed sticks for parakeets are available for $2.00 each and sold inside the aviary.


TICKETS
Adults
: $6.00 ($3.00 for members)
Seniors 65 & Over: $4.00 ($2.00 for members)
Children 3 to 11: $3.00 ($1.50 for members)

SCHEDULE
Daily 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

ANIMAL AMBASSADORS
 

THE CAROUSEL

Weather permitting: Take a spin in one of the largest hand-carved wooden carousels in the country! Located near the zoo’s North Gate entrance, The Carousel features 72 animals to choose from, some representing highly endangered animals from around the world, as well as three stationary animal chariots. 
Please Note: All seated riders require a ticket.

TICKETS
Adults
: $4.00 ($2.00 for members)
Seniors 65 & Over: $3.50 ($1.75 for members)
Children 0 to 11: $3.00 ($1.50 for members)

SCHEDULE
Open, weather permitting. 

PURCHASE TICKETS
 

BUTTERFLIES: returns 2024

Discover some of nature's most colorful creatures - butterflies! Observe as these species native to North America fly around the pond, up into the sky, land on some flowers, and possibly land on you! *May be weather dependent.

TICKETS 
Adults
: $4.00 ($2.00 for members)
Seniors 65 & Over: $3.50 ($1.75 for members)
Children 3 to 11: $3.00 ($1.50 for members)

Click here for a monarch butterfly coloring sheet, courtesy of JULIE!

Presented by

 
 

BUTTERFLIES
 

SAFARI TOURS

Hop aboard our Safari Tours for a narrated ride around Brookfield Zoo! You'll get to know all the exhibits and fun things to do here at the zoo while also learning about the conservation work we do as well as get insights into the history of the Chicago Zoological Society. It's a great way to relax while getting the most out of your Brookfield Zoo experience. Please Note: All riders require a ticket.

TICKETS
Adults
: $6.00 ($3.00 for members)
Seniors 65 & Over: $4.00 ($2.00 for members)
Children 0 to 11: $3.00 ($1.50 for members)

SCHEDULE
 Weekends Only

Presented by


 

PURCHASE AT ZOO
 

Dolphins IN ACTION:
Returning late 2023

Get to know our dolphins through the exciting and educational Dolphins in Action! Learn about dolphin social structures and adaptations as our dolphins captivate you with aerial displays and other exhibitions that show off their incredible intelligence and agility!

ABOUT OUR DOLPHINS
 

Directions and Parking

By Car

Brookfield Zoo is located at First Avenue between Ogden Avenue and 31st Street in Brookfield, Illinois, just 14 miles west of downtown Chicago.

There are exits to First Avenue from the Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) and from the Stevenson Expressway (I-55) (See detours above). Signs on First Avenue will direct you to the zoo’s main entrance and zoo parking—or you can just follow the lion’s roar!

North Parking Lot (Golfview Road)
GPS Address: 8400 31st Street, Brookfield, IL 60513

By Bus

Throughout the year, you can take Pace Bus Route 331 to Brookfield Zoo. The Pace bus service stops just outside the zoo’s South Gate.

If you need detailed route information or door-to-door directions, visit Pacebus.com or call the RTA Travel Line at 312-836-7000.

By Train

Beat the traffic by taking the train! If you want to skip the drive and not worry about traffic or parking, it's easy to get to Brookfield Zoo from downtown or the western suburbs via Metra's BNSF Line.

Exit at the Zoo Stop (Hollywood Station) and then walk two blocks northeast. You can also exit at the Riverside station or Brookfield station and walk to the zoo.

To obtain a train schedule, call Metra at (312) 322-6777 or visit their website.

Parking Fee at the North Gate

Cars: $17.00

Buses: $25.00

Members: Free

South Parking Lot

GPS Address: 3300 Golf Road, Brookfield, IL 60513

Parking Fee at the South Gate

Cars: $20.00

Buses: $25.00

Members: $7.00

Cook County parking tax & Illinois Parking Excise Tax included.

Open buildings

The following indoor buildings are currently open or will open at the designated day and time noted:

*Please note that the drinking fountains and water misters are currently on. Splash pad at Living Coast is off for the season.
*Giraffe Arnieta and her calf Kinda can be seen daily from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Habitat Africa. 

 
  • Australia
  • BZ Red Hot
  • CafĂ© del Sol
  • Clouded Leopard Rain Forest
  • Desert's Edge
  • Great Bear Wilderness Underwater Viewing
  • Feathers & Scales
  • Habitat Africa: The Forest
  • Habitat Africa: The Kopje
  • Hamill family play zoo
  • Hamill Family Wild Encounters
  • Living Coast
  • Parakeet Aviary
  • Pinniped Point Underwater Viewing
  • Regenstein Wolf Woods Indoor Viewing
  • Reptiles & Birds
  • SWEETY BIRd
  • The Swamp
  • Tropic World

Closed buildings

Please note the following buildings are currently CLOSED at this time:

  • PACHYDERMS
  • Seven Seas underwater viewing & Dolphins in Action
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CURRENT BROOKFIELD ZOO MAP

WALKING MAP

QUIET SPACE LOCATION MAP

LARGE PRINT/SERVICE ANIMAL MAP