Virginia Zoological Park

About Virginia Zoological Park

Virginia Zoological Park sits on 53 acres in Norfolk, Virginia, bordered by Lafayette Park and the Lafayette River, at 3500 Granby Street. The Zoo traces its opening to 1900, and by 1901 it was acquiring its first animals under the name Lafayette Zoological Park — a year the Zoo marks in its own "125 years" anniversary framing. It is the only zoo in Virginia accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, a status it has held since 1974.

The Zoo is run jointly by the City of Norfolk and the Virginia Zoological Society: the Society handles education, membership, marketing, fundraising, and special events, while the City covers animal care, horticulture, maintenance, and day-to-day operations. Together they employ roughly 100 full- and part-time staff. More than 700 animals live at the Zoo, representing at least 153 species according to its website, and roughly 500,000 guests visit each year.

The collection is organized geographically, walking visitors through regions of the world rather than by animal type, with newer buildings added over the last decade to house reptiles, tigers, and rhinos in expanded space.

History

The City of Norfolk began developing what became the Virginia Zoo around 1900, and animal acquisitions started in 1901 under the name Lafayette Zoological Park. The Zoo achieved AZA accreditation in 1974 and remains the only AZA-accredited zoo in Virginia.

Recent decades have brought a steady run of new exhibit openings. A World of Reptiles and Friends building opened in June 2018, adding large lizards, venomous snakes, and rare frogs to the collection. The Zoo opened a white rhinoceros exhibit in 2017, added the Run Wild! Nature Discovery Zone in 2019, remodeled its Asia: Trail of the Tiger area in 2023, and opened the Turtle Oasis exhibit — home to rehabilitated turtle species — in 2024. A new education building, the Macon & Joan Brock EdVenture & Exploration Campus, was under construction as of the Zoo's most recent published updates.

Exhibits and habitats

The African Safari Trail groups animals native to regions across Africa, while Asia: Trail of the Tiger, remodeled in 2023, covers species from throughout Asia. The World of Reptiles & Friends Conservatory houses reptiles and birds from humid habitats worldwide, and the adjoining World of Reptiles & Friends building adds reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates from around the globe.

Flora Point is built around the Zoo's American bison and includes gardens, a wedding gazebo, and a garden tent used for private events. Turtle Oasis holds a variety of turtle species that arrived from rehabilitation centers. The ZooFarm gathers farm animals from around the world, and the Zoo's Animal Wellness Campus is a combined medical and diet facility serving the more than 700 animals in the collection, with public-facing elements that let visitors learn about animal nutrition and care. A Zoo Express train and seasonal fountains, running from Memorial Day to Labor Day, round out the grounds.

The Zoo also runs guided, one-hour tours of the grounds for school and community groups, aligned to Virginia's Standards of Learning, as well as self-guided unguided walks for groups that prefer their own pace. Separate behind-the-scenes tours give small groups closer access to specific animals: a rhino tour with Bora, Zina, or Sibindi; a giraffe tour with Billy, Imara, Kylie, Noelle, Teddy Acacia, or Tiana; a tapir tour with Rosco, Haddie, or Luther; and tours built around the Zoo's sloth, moon bear, bison, and Aldabra tortoise.

Animal highlights

At least 153 species are listed on the Zoo's website, spanning mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and invertebrates. Large mammals include the Southern white rhinoceros, Bornean orangutan, Malayan tiger, Masai giraffe, African wild dog, cheetah, lion, red panda, Malayan tapir, and Asiatic black bear. Smaller and more unusual residents include meerkats, two-toed sloths, siamangs, white-cheeked gibbons, and a range of hornbills, cranes, and macaws.

The reptile and amphibian collection is extensive for a zoo this size, with king cobras, green anacondas, Gila monsters, Jamaican iguanas, Egyptian tortoises, and multiple species of poison dart frogs among the more than 700 animals on site. Guided behind-the-scenes tours give visitors closer access to specific animals, including the Zoo's rhinos, giraffes, tapirs, a moon bear named Chai, a bison named Lily, and an Aldabra tortoise named AJ.

Conservation and programs

The Virginia Zoo runs a Conservation Youth Team (CYT) program, a high school volunteer and development track for teens aged 13 to 17 interested in animals and conservation. Participants complete a summer training focused on zoo operations, conservation basics, and education techniques, then work across three annual semesters educating guests, supporting summer camp programs, and taking part in community service projects. A portion of every ticket's Conservation and Technology fee is directed to the Zoo's Conservation Fund, which the Zoo says supports research, education, and breeding programs for wildlife locally and internationally.

Planning your visit

As listed on the Zoo's website, hours run from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., with last paid admission at 3 p.m. General admission is listed at $20 for adults and $17 for children; discounts of $2 apply for military, first responders, teachers, and Norfolk residents and city employees with valid ID, and the Norfolk PowerUp! program offers $6 tickets to Medicaid cardholders. The average visitor spends about two hours inside the park.

Strollers and wheelchairs can be rented for the day at the Gift Shop or the Stroller Shack just outside it, at listed rates of $12 to $14 for a wheelchair and up to $40 for larger equipment for the full day. The Zoo is a certified Sensory Inclusive facility through KultureCity, with sensory backpacks, weighted lap pads, and braille guides available to borrow at the Membership Office; Bluetooth beacon technology for audio descriptions was also listed as a planned accessibility feature. Individuals with an ADA-recognized disability and one companion receive free admission. Dining options inside the Zoo include the African Village Café, the Beastro, Mini Melts, and the Snack Shack; outside food and drink aren't permitted, though Lafayette Park next door allows picnics. The Zoo Express train runs for an additional $3 per person age 2 and up. The Zoo shares reciprocal membership benefits with more than 150 zoos and aquariums nationwide, and accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, and cash at the gate. Check current hours, prices, and any special-event schedule on the Zoo's official website before you go.