Today's Hours: 9am - 5pm
The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is dedicated to being a responsible and accessible community partner.
Through our outreach and engagement programs, we identify and invite diverse and underserved groups in our community to enrich their relationship with nature. These programs educate and empower all people so they may be compelled to love and protect the future of wildlife and wild places.
Here’s how we seek them out and invite them in.
The Zoo offers multiple discounted and complimentary education programs that touch the heart to teach the mind and satisfy people’s thirst for knowledge about the world around them. They reach everyone from preschoolers to homeschoolers, elementary students to college undergrads.
Learn more about our Education scholarships
We work to ensure that all guests—regardless of age, gender, race, physical ability, or socio-economic status—feel welcome at the Zoo. We offer several programs to make the Zoo affordable, from discounted transportation through COTA to our partnership with the Columbus Metropolitan Library Culture Pass Program. On site, we provide wheelchair and scooter rentals, an adult changing station, sensory kits, and more to provide an exceptional experience for all.
The Zoo is proud to partner with many community groups and area nonprofits for the collective lift, expanding our reach and connecting more people with wildlife. We offer thousands of complimentary tickets annually to deserving organizations across central Ohio. And our team and animal ambassadors visit over 100 local events and places a year, from Nationwide Children’s Hospital to the YMCA, at no cost to the organizations.
