Tulsa Zoo & Living Museum

Bring the entire family to the Tulsa Zoo & Living Museum, a unique family friendly attraction combining exciting animal encounters with natural history museum exhibits on 84 acres. The animal exhibits offer an exciting journey into the natural world where visitors can view a variety of animals from an African lion to an Australian red kangaroo.  Must-see exhibits include the Giraffe Experience, the Chimpanzee Connection, the Penguin Exhibit and the Helmerich Sea Lion Cove.

Exhibit Overview:

Tour the Robert J. LaFortune North American Living Museum Complex, for live animals, plants, American Indian fossils and state-of-the-art audio and visual displays.  Don't miss a simulated earthquake in the Time Gallery, and don't forget to venture into the complex's naturalistic walk-through cave. 

Bring the entire family to the Tulsa Zoo & Living Museum, a unique family friendly attraction combining exciting animal encounters with natural history museum exhibits on 84 acres. The animal exhibits offer an exciting journey into the natural world where visitors can view a variety of animals from an African lion to an Australian red kangaroo.  Must-see exhibits include the Giraffe Experience, the Chimpanzee Connection, the Penguin Exhibit and the Helmerich Sea Lion Cove.

Exhibit Overview:

Tour the Robert J. LaFortune North American Living Museum Complex, for live animals, plants, American Indian fossils and state-of-the-art audio and visual displays.  Don't miss a simulated earthquake in the Time Gallery, and don't forget to venture into the complex's naturalistic walk-through cave. 

Travel to the south end of the Tulsa Zoo for the zoo's popular Africa exhibit complete with Aldabra tortoises, cape buffalo, cheetahs, giraffes, kudu, lions, meerkats, ostriches and zebras.  In this area of the zoo, don't miss the Massai Village, a recreated village consisting of three traditional huts of the Massai people.  In addition, the zoo's popular, world-class African penguin exhibit features 16 penguins and seasonal penguin encounters.

The Tropical American Rainforest exhibit within the Tulsa Zoo & Living Museum brings to life a recreated Central and South American rainforest with translucent 'canopy' panels, lush vegetation and pre-Colombian ruins, which serve as a habitat for the exhibit's resident jaguars.  Enjoy an indoor nature trek through the tropics while viewing exotic species such as black howler monkeys, anacondas, piranhas, dwarf caimans and a variety of bird species, which fly freely throughout the interactive exhibit.

Browse through the Dave Zucconi Conservation Center to view a variety of animals including everything from birds and primates, to reptiles and fish.  Learn how animals and plants survive in an array of environments with the Secrets of Survival exhibit, and then head over to the reptile nursery to witness as baby reptiles are hatched from their eggs.

To see huge cats, such as the Malayan tiger and snow leopard, make your way to the Tulsa Zoo & Living Museum's Asia exhibit.  View Siamang and Spectacles Langur monkeys from a viewing deck off the Siamang Overlook, and then head over to the zoo's popular Elephant Encounter to watch training demonstrations and enrichment exercises with female Asian elephants from amphitheater seating.  Check the zoo's activity schedule for current times.

The Tulsa Zoo & Living Museum's Oceans and Islands exhibit includes the Helmerich Sea Lion Cove, which allows zoo visitors to view sea lions from different vantage points, including from an underwater viewing station.  Don't miss the African Penguin exhibit, or the black and white ruffed lemurs from Madagascar.

Take the kids to the Tulsa Zoo & Living Museum's Children's Zoo for an interactive petting zoo featuring small and friendly farm animals.  Watch the zoo's resident prairie dogs, and witness the daily routines of animals such as guinea hogs, llamas, river otters, kangaroos, emus, donkeys, turkeys and more.  Other exhibits and education areas throughout the zoo include an Oklahoma trail exhibit, a sensory garden, the Lang Memorial Garden, a wetlands exhibit and the COX Nature Exchange.

Rides & Attractions:

Take a ride around the zoo on-board the ONEOK Safari Train and enjoy a spin around the ARVEST Wildlife Carousel.  Hours of operation are weather permitting; April 1-October 31, 10am-5pm.  Off-season: 10am-4pm, weekends only.

Take a camel tour and enjoy a camel ride around the zoo's camel path, located near the Chimpanzee Connection.  Camel tours run mid-March through October 31.  Hours are based on weather and attendance.

Scale to the top of the Monolith, a 25-ft. climbing wall, or bounce your way to new heights on the Frogger, a bright green leap pad with bungee harness that will have you jumping like a kangaroo.  Hours are based on weather and attendance.

Invite the kids to dig for buried treasure at the Hardesty Gem Dig at the COX Nature Exchange and find all sorts of gems, rocks and minerals hidden beneath black sand.

Dining Options:

Head over to the Macaw Landing Grille for everything from pizza to hamburgers.  This full-service restaurant offers ice cold drinks and ice cream, plus your choice of indoor or outdoor seating.  The Trunk Stop, offering food and cold beverages, is located about half-way through the zoo complex and offers outdoor seating on a deck overlooking the zoo's Siamang Island.  Grab a snack or ice cream cone at Jaguar Junction next to the Helmerich Playground, or walk over to Gator Bites for a fresh, icy lemonade before viewing the zoo's resident male American alligator, Cajun.