Zoo New England – The Franklin Park Zoo

Update: After living in Massachusetts for numerous years, I can say that my favorite zoo is actually Roger Williams in Providence. It’s relatively small at just 40 acres, but beautifully organized with numerous rare exhibits like red pandas and snow leopards. They also host a lot of really great events like the annual Jack O’Lantern Halloween Spectacular. I recommend planning a daytrip here as there are a lot of great attractions in this city.

Mike and I like visiting zoos in any new area we live in or travel to so we figured we would check out our options near Boston. Zoo New England is one of 2 major zoos located in the Greater Boston area, the other being Southwick which is the largest in the region but also located an hour away.

The Franklin Zoo is a bit smaller at 72 acres vs. 200 but it also holds more historical significance. It opened in 1912, making it Boston’s oldest zoo. When it first opened, the first official exhibits were an aviary and bear dens. The bear dens used to be a major attraction until zoo management changed in 1958. Today, it’s a strange experience to explore this now desolate area of the zoo – it’s definitely a step back in time.

A small, yet historic zoo

Although it isn’t the best zoo in the country (in my opinion that award goes to Brookfield near Chicago), strolling around is a great way to spend a nice summer afternoon (just be sure to avoid super busy free days!). Despite a lack of diversity (no bears, penguins, or dolphins) and tiny animal enclosures, it’s still your typical zoo experience.

Update: In 2026, a new penguin exhibit will open. It’s called African Experience and will feature an outdoor habitat for African penguins plus interactive experiences. Serengeti Crossing will also be expanded

Honestly, I was a bit surprised at how small this zoo was being located in a major city. We walked around the whole zoo in about an hour. I am used to spending at least half a day strolling around and enjoying the exhibits! This could be a good or bad thing depending on how much exercise you are willing to do.

To be honest, the overall look was a bit run down – not enough landscaping, nowhere nice to picnic, and too many chain link fences instead of nice enclosures. While some enclosures could use a bit of care, the zoo is also quite historic.

However, you will still find several nice exhibits including a pretty cool butterfly exhibit. And the close up Tiger exhibit was also fantastic! Overall, I recommend adding this zoo as a sidetrip if you have extra time. There are too many fantastic attractions in Boston to make this your number 1. Don’t plan a vacation solely to explore this zoo.

A brief tour around the grounds

My favorite exhibit is the Butterfly Hollow where you can stroll through lovely blooming flowers and see all sorts of butterflies up close. Kids can make their own butterfly mask. This exhibit is seasonal and typically opens in early June and closes in late July.

We spotted a beautiful blue peacock walking around. While this is a common occurrence at zoos, it’s always cool to see. Even though they look gorgeous, they actually can be quite aggressive so keep your distance. Here are some tips on how to safely watch peacocks.

The bird house (called Bird’s World) is pretty impressive – if you are into birdwatching, you will be pleased. It’s cool that this exhibit is located in one of the oldest buildings. You will see species from around the world in 3 habitats: swamp, scrublands, and wetlands.

I loved the giraffe exhibit! This is the most natural part of the zoo and quite beautiful with all the trees. Giraffes will be outside if temp are at least 50 degrees. According to the zoo’s website, in rainy conditions, they move inside if it is under 60 degrees. So basically, the summer is your best time to seem them in action.

I was disappointed in the indoor Gorilla exhibit…maybe I’m too used to the fabulous “Tropic World” at Chicago’s Brookfield Zoo! This exhibit, called Gorilla Grove, features various viewing stations where you can watch the gorillas climbing trees. It’s not too bad, just a bit lackluster in comparison to the Grand Brookfield habitat I grew up seeing.

The tiger exhibit had a long line, but was worth it for the extraordinary up close views! Update: Sadly, Anala, a 17 year old female tiger passed away in November of 2022 from kidney failure. As of early 2026, the Tiger Tales exhibit remains unoccupied.

Overall, this zoo doesn’t rank at the top nor bottom of my list in terms of zoos I have visited: I would say it’s your average experience. If you live in the area, I would recommend checking out a discount pass at a local library as it isn’t quite worth the hefty charge per person for admission. And tourists should also take a look at Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence (which in my opinion is much nicer).

Additional details

• Address: 1 Franklin Park Rd. Boston, MA 02121
• Hours: 9am-5pm/6 on weekends (April-July), 9am-5pm (August & September), 9am-4pm (Oct-March)
• Pricing: Visit the zoo website for updated pricing info as well as special events.
• Accessibility: Wheelchair rentals available (please make reservations at least a day in advance).