Central Park Zoo New York: Tickets, Animals and the Clock

The Central Park Zoo is a small zoo specializing in a handful of species you can look straight in the eye like nowhere else.

It opened in 1860 as a wild animal reserve, making it the first zoo in New York. Today the city's largest zoo, and the largest urban zoo in the world, is the Bronx Zoo.

At the Central Park Zoo you'll see snow leopards, grizzly bears, red pandas, lemurs… but these are the real stars:

Penguins in Central Park

One of the most visited habitats is the penguin exhibit, a giant tank kept at Arctic temperatures.

Walking in feels like stepping into a freezer, so bring a layer if you're visiting in summer.

Inside, it's mesmerizing to watch these birds from the far reaches of South America swim.

Polar bears

Another species you can see, even in the middle of summer, which honestly strikes us as a crime, is a pair of polar bears.

They do try to give them something close to a home environment (when it gets really hot they even bring in big blocks of ice), but it definitely isn't one.

Whatever misgivings we may have about zoos, this one tries to do it right and puts real care into giving its residents the best possible habitat, and all of this in the middle of Central Park, in the heart of Manhattan.

Sea lions

The pool with the charming sea lions is another very popular corner of the zoo.

These little guys are always up for entertaining visitors with their antics, especially at feeding time.

Animal feeding times

Our advice: plan your visit around the times the keepers feed the animals.

The sea lions are the most fun to watch. The keepers play with them and have trained them to do simple tricks in exchange for sardines, which makes them the crowd favorite.

Another one you shouldn't miss is the penguin feeding.

It's hilarious to see them chase the staff with their buckets of sardines.

To be sure about the times, check the feeding schedule in the brochure they hand you as you enter.

They're usually as follows:

• Penguins: 10:30 am and 2:30 pm
• Sea lions: 11:30 am, 1:30 pm and 3:30 pm.

The Delacorte Musical Clock

Above one of the entrances to the Central Park Zoo you'll find this musical clock, which every half hour between 8 am and 6 pm delights kids and adults alike with its tunes.

The hour is announced by little animals that spring into action to mark the passing of time. Look for the elephant, the bear, the dancing penguins, and the pair of monkeys ringing the bell.

The clock's repertoire changes with the season. I got Christmas carols the last time I visited, around Christmas.

This is a classic Sunday outing for New York families, and it lives in the memory of every kid who grew up in Manhattan.

The Delacorte Clock was given to the city in 1965 by a millionaire named, of course, Delacorte XD. The same philanthropist donated one of the sculptures in Central Park that kids love most: Alice in Wonderland.

The zoo in pop culture

The Central Park Zoo has been name-dropped in classics like J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye.

If you're hunting for the characters from the animated movie Madagascar, those charming lemurs, you'll need to head to the Bronx Zoo in the north of the city. Wednesdays are free, and I go over the details at that link.

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Address
Enter from Fifth Avenue at 64th Street

Getting there
Subway N, R, W. Fifth Avenue/59th St station
Subway 6. 68th St/Hunter College station

Current prices
13 and up $22.95 / ages 3 to 12 $16.95 / 65 and up $18.95
Under 2 free

I recommend buying your tickets online to lock them in.

Hours
Summer hours
(April 2 to November 6)
Daily 10 am to 5 pm
Winter hours
(November 7 to April 1)
Daily 10 am to 4 pm