LEARN AND DISCOVER WITH US
Creating the next generation of conservation stewards.
LEARNING & INNOVATION
Woodland Park Zoo's Learning & Innovation department advances the zoo’s mission by inspiring and cultivating an informed community of conservation stewards. As the center for excellence in conservation learning and innovation in Washington state, our learning programs are guided by a robust science and outcomes-based framework for inspiring conservation.
From early learners to seniors, on and off grounds, our developmental approach to lifelong learning is to foster empathy for nature, build conservation knowledge and skills, and increase people’s personal ownership for action that benefits wildlife and habitats.
FOR KIDS & TEENS
Camps
“For years, Woodland Park Zoo has offered families an opportunity to keep learning going year-round with our summer camps. Zoo camps joyfully connect children to the Zoo, their community, and their environment with hands-on experiences you won't find anywhere else.
Learn more about camps
Early Childhood
When we embrace nature in our first few years, our hearts and minds are changed forever. Help your little one love the world we live in through our growing offerings for young children and their caregivers!
See our current early childhood programs
Teen Programs
Teens have a special place at Woodland Park Zoo! Past programs for teens have included career days, teen advocacy groups, and social groups.
See our current teen programs
FOR GROUPS
UpClose
Can’t get to the Zoo? Let us come to you! Whether you’re a teacher, librarian, scout leader, or senior center coordinator, your group will love meeting an Ambassador Animal at your indoor location. We have topics for all ages, connected to curriculum standards and a sense of wonder!
Learn more about booking UpClose
FOR PROFESSIONALS
Master's Program
Go to college at a literal Animal House! AIP is a master’s degree program designed to help students engage in the fields of inquiry-based education, community-based conservation, public engagement in science, animal welfare and empathy, sustainability, and more.
Learn more about AIP
Empathy Collaborative
Under construction. Watch this space!
See more
Educator Resources
Enhance your field trip or classroom curriculum with resources created and curated by the Woodland Park Zoo. On Discovery Den, you can find everything from educational coloring pages, to video interviews with our keepers, to games you can play in-browser and host on your own class’s page.
See our Educator Resources
Go straight to Discovery Den
IN THE COMMUNITY
Adult Programs
Learning at the Zoo isn’t just for kids! Check out our programs exclusively for visitors 21 and older, from boozy get-togethers to spicy trivia. Click here to see our current adult programs
See our current adult programs
Senior Zoo Walkers
Designed for seniors age 55 or better, this self-guided walking program gets you out and about moving and grooving on zoo grounds!
Learn more about Senior Zoo Walkers
Community Access Program
Woodland Park Zoo’s Community Access Program (CAP) provides free daytime admission tickets to nonprofits, foundations and government entities serving under-resourced communities. We distribute tickets to hundreds of CAP partners each year to use for individual and/or group visits to help make the zoo a more accessible space and inspire everyone to make conservation a priority in their lives.
Learn more about CAP
Community Science
Community scientists volunteer with Woodland Park Zoo to make conservation a priority in their lives here at home. The zoo trains and supports community members like you to gather data on a variety of local wildlife which informs habitat management, restoration, research, and coexistence.
See our community science programs