Lions, Tigers, and Yes, Dinosaurs, at the Franklin Park Zoo
72-acre site features more than 100 species
The Franklin Park Zoo lions are among the fan favorite animal attractions that draw crowds young and old year after year. Photos Courtesy of the Franklin Park Zoo
Did you know that you can venture into a tropical forest, cross the Serengeti, and hike an Australian Outback trail, all just four miles from downtown Boston? You’ll find them at Franklin Park Zoo in Dorchester. The 72-acre site, run by Zoo New England, boasts more than 100 animal species, from the critically endangered Colombian cotton-top tamarin and Poitou donkey to the scarlet ibis, whose magnificent red plumage results from its crustacean-rich diet. You’ll also find the Aussie Aviary, featuring hundreds of brilliantly colored budgerigars (“budgies” for short), a type of small parrot; a Giraffe Savannah, home to Masai giraffes; a seasonal Butterfly Hollow; and much more.
If you’re traveling with kids, be sure to check out the new children’s zoo, which offers a chance to learn about prairie dogs, red pandas, and muntjacs (Southeast Asian deer with a dog-like bark)! The children’s zoo also has two turtle ponds.
This summer, the zoo is hosting a special exhibit, Destination Dino, featuring over a dozen animatronic dinosaurs on view through Labor Day. The exhibit offers both hands-on activities and interactive scenes that offer a trip back in time to what life on earth was like 65 million years ago. Stop by the Dino Dig, where budding paleontologists can search for fossils. Tickets to Destination Dino cost an additional $4 over the general admission price and can be purchased here.
In addition to seeing the numerous animals and special exhibits, visitors can travel by train through the zoo’s grounds ($3) or ride on a carousel ($3). Franklin Park Zoo also has a farm, with domestic goats, sheep, chickens, and ponies, and a 10,000-square-foot playground.
The Franklin Park Zoo is open during the summer Monday through Friday, from 10 am to 5 pm, and weekends and holidays, from 10 am to 6 pm. Tickets are $19.95 for adults, $17.95 for seniors (62+), $13.95 for children 2 to 12, free for members and children under 2. Tickets are sold up to a half hour before closing. Purchase tickets online and receive a 15 percent discount. Find directions here. Learn more about the zoo (and see animal photos) here or on Facebook or Instagram.
This article was originally published July 23, 2015; it has been updated to include new information.
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