Plan your visit to Brookfield Zoo
Hours
Monday-Sunday:
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Open every day!
Directions
Driving Directions
Public Transportation
Accessibility
Tickets
Two Options:
Purchase Tickets at the Zoo
North Gate Main Entrance: 8400 31st Street, Brookfield, IL
Membership
Membership Benefits
Free Admission
Free Parking
Restaurant Discounts
Attraction Discounts
Monthly Specials
And MORE!
What You Can Do at Brookfield Zoo
Attractions
Dolphins in Action
Adult Tickets: $5.00
Seniors & Children: $3.00
Showtimes: 11:30am, 2:30pm
Get to know our dolphins through an exciting and educational Dolphins in Action! Learn about dolphin social structures and adaptations as our dolphins captivate you with aerial displays and other exhibitions that show off their incredible intelligence and agility.
Hamill Family Play Zoo
All Tickets: $3.00
Members: $1.50
Open 10:00am - 4:30pm
The award-winning Hamill Family Play Zoo is like no other place you’ve visited! Children will have fun touching, exploring, building, and playing while connecting with nature. They can pretend to be a zoo keeper, dress up like a lemur, or make some crafts. The primary goal is to foster feelings of love and caring toward nature by doing, rather than communicating scientific concepts or facts.
The Carousel
All Tickets: $3.00
Members: $1.50
All seated riders require a ticket
Take a spin in one of the largest hand-carved wooden carousels in the country! Located near the zoo’s North Gate entrance, The Carousel features 72 animals, some highly endangered, and three stationary animal chariots.
Rentals - Strollers, Wagons, Wheelchairs, & ECVs
You can rent stroller, wagon, wheel chair and electronic convenience vehicle (ECV) at the zoo’s North and South Gates. A cash deposit of $10 is required with stroller and wagon rentals, while credit card information is necessary for ECV and wheelchair rentals.
All visitors with small children are welcome, however, not all exhibits can accommodate strollers, especially on busy days. Strollers are not allowed in Tropic World, Australia House, The Fragile Kingdom, or Seven Seas Dolphin Discovery. Convenient stroller parking is available next to the entrances to all of these exhibits. Folding strollers are allowed on the Motor Safari as space allows.
Rental Pricing
Wagon: $9.00
Dolphin Stroller: $8.00
Single Stroller: $10.00
Double Stroller: $12.00
Wheelchair: $10.00*
ECV: $25.00*
* We have a limited number of ECVs and wheelchairs for rental. Please call to reserve an ECV or wheelchair in advance (same day reservations are not accepted).
Zoo Map
Additional Visit Information
Park Rules
To maintain a pleasant and safe environment, the Chicago Zoological Society has adopted the following rules. All Zoo guests are expected to follow these rules to assure their safety and the safety of others and to avoid harm to the animals, Society property, or other patrons.
- Alcohol is allowed only in designated areas. Alcoholic beverages are sold at various locations throughout the zoo, and they must be consumed at the point of sale. Bringing alcoholic beverages into the park is prohibited.
- Barbeque grills/private cooking fires are not permitted anywhere on the Zoo grounds.
- Children - Children under the age of 14 years are not to be left unsupervised for any period of time.
- Trash and recycling containers are available throughout the park. Please help keep the Zoo clean and beautiful and do not litter.
- Fireworks are strictly prohibited. Anyone carrying or using fireworks will be immediately escorted from Zoo premises.
- Bicycles, roller skates, skateboards, and scooters are not allowed in the Zoo at any time. These could create a danger to pedestrians, which include small children. Bicycle racks are provided at the main entrance gates.
- Animal feeding is prohibited. Zoo animals are provided well-balanced diets that provide for all their nutritional needs, and some animals are on specially formulated diets. Public feeding is prohibited. This reduces the quality of the diets and could be harmful to the animals.
- Pets are not allowed within the Zoo under any circumstances and are not to be left locked in personal vehicles during a Zoo visit.
- Service animals are allowed, but guests are to alert the Gate Attendant upon arrival, who will contact Security to give you special instructions before entering the park. Service Animal maps (with locations that are not ideal for service animals to go; eg. Habitat Africa! The Forest) will be provided to you upon your arrival or are available for download by clicking Service Animal Map.
- Guardrails, fences, and barriers must be respected at all times for the safety of both the guests and the animals.
- Climbing is not allowed anywhere in the Zoo except on children’s playgrounds. Rocks, walls, fences, railings, and barriers are to protect people and animals and are to be respected at all times.
- Running in the park or throwing things is to be avoided for the safety of guests and animals.
- Also, nothing is to be thrown or dropped into the animal exhibits. Items thrown or dropped into exhibits can be ingested by the animals, which can be harmful or even fatal to animals. If you see any item fall into or thrown into an exhibit, please contact a Zoo staff person immediately.
- Shoes must be worn inside all buildings.
- Wading or swimming in fountains, pools, or at Indian Lake are not permitted at any time for reason.
- Radios are not prohibited, but Guests must keep the volume low enough so as not to disturb the animals or other Guests. Horns and other noisemakers are prohibited.
- Soliciting and propagandizing are not allowed.
- Smoking within the Zoo is prohibited, except for two specific smoking areas that have been designated for the public.
- Touching animals is to be avoided, including native wildlife within the park. In Hamill Family Play Zoo some domestic animals are tame, but not all animals can be touched safely.
- Native plants and animals thrive on Zoo grounds. Picking of flowers, uprooting trees and shrubs, stripping branches or leaves, or touching, chasing or harassing captive or native animals are not allowed. Wild native animals that may be encountered in the park include tree and ground squirrels, raccoons, opossums, ducks, Canadian geese, garter snakes, toads, and other native animals. We teach respect and caring toward animals and nature. Animals are not to be harmed or bothered. Also, animals or other materials such as eggs, plants, hair, horns, feathers, etc. may not be removed from the Zoo grounds.
Field Trips
Interested in a Field Trip?
Brookfield Zoo is a great location for your class field trip! Free general admission is available to Head Start, public and private Illinois school groups K-college for self-guided field trips (parking and attraction fees still apply), but two weeks advance notice is needed. An Illinois school group is defined as classroom teacher accompanying his or her students, Monday-Friday, during the normal school year. Note: groups that do not meet these qualifications will be notified.
Make your reservations early—space is limited. For spring trips, please make your reservations two months in advance. For all other seasons, please make your reservations at least two weeks in advance. No reservations will be accepted less than two weeks before your requested field-trip date.
In order to serve you better, please indicate the type of group you are bringing to the zoo:
- Illinois School Group (Kindergarten through college; public or private)
- Home School/Home School Association
- HeadStart program
- Pre-School Groups:
- Associated with a state accredited grammar school
- NOT associated with a grammar school
- Daycare or after school care program
- Out of state school group (Kindergarten through college)
- Scout group and other non-school youth group
If your group doesn't fit into these categories, or if you must cancel or change a reservation, call us at for more information.
Accessibility
Guests with Disabilities
Espanol
Rentals
Accessible Amenities
Resources
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