Little Rock Zoo
Arkansas’s largest zoo combines century-old stonework, primates, big cats, elephants, reptiles, and keeper programs in central Little Rock.
Artwork inspired by Donald Roller Wilson
Little Rock Zoo began in 1926 and now holds hundreds of animals across a compact, shaded campus adjoining War Memorial Park. Historic stone structures remain visible among newer habitats for great apes, big cats, elephants, reptiles, birds, and smaller species. The most useful visit follows animal behavior and keeper interpretation rather than trying to tick every enclosure off a map.
Check daily talks, feeding demonstrations, construction notices, and weather before entering. Animals may choose indoor or off-view spaces, especially during heat, and that is a welfare feature rather than a failed exhibit. Paid admission and parking are separate in some ticket structures; arrive near opening for more active animals, cooler paths, and fewer school-group bottlenecks.
- Founded
- 1926
- Strength
- Primates + big cats
- Best time
- Near opening
Quick guide
- Check first
- Keeper-talk schedule
- Watch
- Behavior before chasing species count
Make the visit count
- Follow comfort, not order
- Visit heat-sensitive and active species early, then use indoor exhibits during the hottest part of the day.
- Read welfare cues
- Set beside it retreat spaces, shade, and animals choosing not to appear are normal parts of responsible care.
- Use keeper talks
- Read staff interpretation can explain individual histories, training, veterinary care, and conservation beyond label summaries.
- Notice the old campus
- Check the operating schedule: Generally open daily during daytime hours with seasonal and holiday exceptions; last admission precedes closing.
Good to know
Animal visibility changes with temperature, construction, veterinary needs, and individual choice. Check the zoo’s current habitat notices before promising one species, budget separately for admission and any parking or add-ons, and bring refillable water for summer visits.
Notice these
- Great ape habitats
- Historic WPA stonework
- Keeper-led interpretation