Have small kids, so took a little time to visit this small zoo. We ended up being blown away. Sure, it's small, but with plenty of local animals and active staff. Honestly, that's what made the biggest difference: have you ever been to a zoo where the staff, as they are working, turn and have conversations with the patrons? Also, there was a short talk/presentation about turtles - my kids loved it! They asked so many questions and because they were local animals, we could then look for turtles - my kids now love turtles as much as volcanoes!! Also, they had a monarch butterfly egg monitoring project going on, and it was exciting to see staff go out with mirrors in the weeds to count eggs. It's hard to articulate how unsung this place is. Incredible experience, mainly due to the accessibility and welcomingness of the park staff! read more

Other than this zoo being very small, I had a great time with my family today. The workers are all very friendly and as I would ask questions about the animals to the people I was with, there are workings walking around who would answer my questions the second I asked them. They have a great handful of enclosures that are habitats with several animals - for instance, there was a lemur habitat that had tortoises and a fowl. They also had an enclosure that had Scarlett ibis, ducks and an anteater! They also have a gift shop that was on the smaller side, a petting zoo where you can pet the goals and a snack shack. Great place for young kids - who don't require a large attention span to get enjoyment out of the zoo. read more

Brandywine Zoo - Lemur enclosure - Zoos Near Me - Wilmington, Delaware

Attended my first of the year First State Hike at the Brandywine Zoo learning about the animals and the practices of the zoo with Lauren and Amanda their education staff. Interactive for both children and adults I left the zoo with some new knowledge and appreciation for the mission of the zoo, the animals they care for and how I can make a difference. read more

See all

I understand that zoos are controversial. From my perspective, they educate the public about habitat conservation and help protect species from extinction. (Several examples of near-extinct animals live at Brandywine.) This zoo is tiny -- less than five acres -- but worthwhile to visit, with animals I'd never before heard of. I noticed that the pudu, the world's smallest deer, was limping. A sign indicated he was under veterinary care. The only exhibit that disturbed me was the caracal's. The animal continuously paced back and forth, perhaps a sign of boredom and frustration of being caged. (I have memories of Brooklyn's Prospect Park Zoo in the 1960s where majestic tigers and lions were confined in small enclosures exhibiting the same behavior.) Zoos have evolved since my childhood and I'm happy to find merits in each that I've recently visited. The Brandywine has special events of interest to families, and borders the Brandywine Park. read more

See all

$7 a person. Parking is free across the street. It was on the Sunday we went at least. Small zoo, can see everything in 30 min. The animals they have there are cute, monkey, lemur, porcupine, ant eater. Red pandas. About 4 exhibits weren't operational which was a bummer. I saw they do random events, I think a beer one in May. All in all it was a nice little stroll and we liked to look at the animals. Animals seemed very well taken care of. But don't expect to be awed. Will be fun for kids. read more

See all

We stopped here to stretch our legs on a longer road trip. It was during a weekend when the entire zoo parking lot was closed for an art fair which is fine but I didn't see any mention of this on the zoo socials prior to going. We had to park across town and take a shuttle bus, took an extra 40 minutes. And then we were just kinda disappointed. This is a very small zoo. Like very small. Not many animals were viewable due to the way their habitats are made. Some of the habitats are cool tho, seems like maybe they were converted from old iron furnaces. The female staff in the ticket booth and gift shop were kinda rude. read more

simply ignored us. After weeks of waiting and looking forward to this experience, it turned out to be frustrating and extremely disappointing. I am a neurodivergent person, and situations like this affect me deeply. It's not just about the money, it's about the lack of transparency and consideration for visitors. I strongly recommend the zoo to be honest in their advertising and improve their organization, because as it is now, it only creates disappointment and feels like they are playing with people's expectations read more

Brandywine Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Wilmington, Delaware

See all

Super adorable zoo located in Brandywine park. This is a smaller zoo, thus the very affordable admission price. We really enjoyed our time here and were pleased to see all of the animals. The entire zoo can be experienced in probably an hour. They have some really interesting animals and all of their habitats seemed to be kept up well. I liked how the lemurs interated with the tortoise in the same habitat. Cute little gift shop and snack cafe. Overall we had a great expereince here. read more

It's a nook of a zoo. Cute, clean, cozy. You aren't walking too long and overwhelmed with things to take in. I think it's perfect for toddlers or younger children. I took my one year old on a Saturday around 12pm, it wasn't crowded, which was a plus. There were a few empty exhibits but I guess that's to be expected. We got to see some different animals. The cutest by far was the Red Panda! My son definitely enjoyed himself (I could tell by his ooo's and pointing). At $9 for adult tickets we may be visiting again when he can engage a little more. Oh and they had this cute little log play area and an amphitheater. The parking area has a great picnic area on one side. On the other side a body of water with some rocks you can sit on. In sum it's worth it, have a little outing go see some animals enjoy the fresh air! read more

See all

This lil mini zoo is perfect if you want to get a taste of the zoo but can't devote a large chunk of time to zoo-going. They have a decent menagerie for a random spot in a park in Wilmington but unfortunately all of the animals were taking a nap at the time of our visit but can you really blame them in this heat? I was sUPER impressed by the gift shop which has very forward and socially advanced products. read more

The zoo is VERY small. I knew it was small going into it but I've been to small zoos and this is again, VERY small. The admission was $7 per person which isn't bad. It took me about an hour to go thru because I did stop and watch all the animals. If you kind of just take a peek at each animal, you maybe will be there about 30 minutes. My favorite exhibit was the lemurs mixed the turtles, that was just adorable. The staff was nice, lots of parking but overall it was just okay, nothing more nothing less. read more

See all

We did the red panda experience and it was so worth it! The zookeepers closed off the area so we could have a private encounter. We fed Scarlet grapes from a skewer through the mesh of the enclosure (Sherman was not interested). We watched some training activities and we learned so much and got some great photos! Highly recommend. read more

A small zoo, that basically fits all along one short walkway. You can walk it in an hour tops if you stop at each exhibit. If not, it'll probably take less than an hour. The Snack Bar seems to close pretty early on weekdays but is very inexpensive. The pudus just had a baby pudu on July 13th (according to the sign). Family-friendly spot. The bald eagles were very patriotic. Buy your tickets there rather than in advance. The Brandywine Zoo charges a $1 fee per person for booking in advance online. read more

Brandywine Zoo - The bald eagles were very patriotic. - Zoos Near Me - Wilmington, Delaware

Come for the capybara, stay for the lemurs. My son's been wanting to see a capybara for a long time so we decided to take a little trip to Wilmington. This zoo is ADORABLE! Yes, it's small, but unlike at larger zoos you can actually spend a good amount of time looking at the animals instead of glimpsing them for a few seconds in a crowd of people before giving someone else a chance. There's plenty of shade, lots of friendly staff members, the animals look very happy and it actually smells nice and fresh. Also, free parking! We all agreed it was a much better zoo experience than we've had in the past. Very clean and relaxed and uncrowded. read more

See all

Lovely local zoo. Great for the kids. It's an easy trip to get out of the house and try something fun.

Awesome for toddlers. There is weekly little explorers programming to teach kids about animals. As others said, very small, but well kept and staff are very nice. Also very clean. Most active lemurs, red pandas, and capybara I've ever seen! Had a great time with my 21mos old nephew. read more

Was a fun little stop, spent like 30 minutes. The zoo is very small, but the park around it was nice as well. About 50% of the animals were out, half of those asleep half running around having a good time. Just go in knowing it is small, would recomend, animals seemed happy. read more

Brandywine Zoo - Lemur - Zoos Near Me - Wilmington, Delaware

I love this little local zoo! It's perfect to bring your little kids for the day or a few hours or even just an hour. It's very kid friendly and very cheap. You/the kids can pet the African pygmy goats! (hand sanitizer is provided). During its off months which I believe are Dec-Feb admission is free but they still keep tally of visitors. (Also since it's free off season they have many animals off exhibit and the gift shop and snack bar may not be open.) Parking is free and plentiful. I love zoos, and my fiancé and I have been here multiple times during multiple seasons. The gift shop is small and has some cute stuffed animal souvenirs, bags, toys and other chachkies. And if you're really tight with your "pennies" they have a souvenir penny press machine right outside at the gift shop door. Although very small, you can see some amazing animals live and not just on TV here; for example the largest flying bird the Andean Condor, good ole yet majestic American Bald eagles, golden lion tamarins, and more. I'm not sure if the tiger is still there but he/she was beautiful, and hopefully happy and healthy in a bigger sanctuary. My favorite part of this quaint zoo is the river otters and watching them constantly slide down their little water slide. Unfortunately, this last time we visited there was a sign that "something new is coming" and "Clark" one of the otters were now transferred to another zoo. I will miss seeing my favorite animal but I look forward to what will replace them. I would say if you're in the area and have some spare time even 30 min, stop by. I'm so happy this zoo is so close to my home and open year round(check hours online). If you do plan to visit, check out their website for family fun events they may be having! Cannot wait to bring my little niece here when she visits. read more

See all

The zoo was small yet nice staff are friendly.. everything was ok .. I'll recommend it if you're close to it but not worth a long ride

If this were a free zoo and I lived close by, I would be all over it. But, for a paid zoo, I just expected to see a lot more animals. I loved the otters, and the zoo keeper was fantastic - she answered tons of questions while she fed the otters, and we enjoyed seeing their personalities. The bees were neat to see. There is a small goat petting area, some emus, a red panda that mostly sleeps, and a few other animals. I know they are working on expanding the zoo, so maybe that will help, but you can easily walk through this zoo in an hour or less, so don't plan for a whole day there. We had a good time, but we wouldn't go again. *If you are looking for a fun and free small zoo in the area, Cohanzick Zoo in Bridgeton is great, and is right next to a splash pad to cool off afterward ;-) read more

Super cute zoo, animals seem very happy with well designed exhibits and clean environments. Fun place to visit if you want to look at some cool animals and not take too much time! My favorite was the sandhill crane! read more

During the winter this zoo is free! Highly recommended going during a nice winter day. It is a very small zoo but cute and has trails outside of the zoo. read more

Inexpensive, friendly atmosphere, but terribly small zoo. For young kids (under 6) it's something easy and fun to do. Due to the size of the zoo, I can't imagine them having larger animals because they wouldn't have the space to roam. Overall though cute little place to visit! read more

This is the perfect size zoo and assortment of animals for ym special needs son. he's Autistic and too much can overwhelm him easily. The zoo wasn't too packed and the vairety of animals was great for the both of us. about when he was done the zoo ended and we left as happy as we came. thank you so much ofr this little bit of extacy for a special needs child and his momma read more

I was really disappointed with the size of the zoo. Basically it's a circle so be warned ahead of time. The animals were few but pretty friendly. It's near a nice park. The petting zoo is shut down due to the pandemic. No need to go again. read more

My family and I went to the zoo last month and were underwhelmed with what was there. My went on a Sunday and the place was deserted of people, employees, and animals. Most of the animals were hiding, sleeping, or couldn't be found. The zoo can be seen in under an hour if you walk slow. And the monkey house next to the zoo probably has one of the worst odors of heat and fecal matter that I've ever come across in general let alone in a zoo. If your in the area or if you are a member or another zoo that reciprocates free admission than I guess it's worth it. Otherwise try the Philadelphia or Elmwood Park Zoo instead. read more

It's a small zoo but it's local and it's cute especially the goat pen. You can open the gate to their home and play with them as long as you want. Those fellas steal my heart every time. At some of the other attractions the staff will bring the more docile animals out for you to touch. All in all the Brandywine Zoo is always a treat. Pay attention to the signs though, most areas are strictly no feeding. read more

Brandywine Zoo - Sooo cute - Zoos Near Me - Wilmington, Delaware

Established in 1905, this zoo is literally 100+ years old. It's actually by definition an antique. That being said the zoo has done innumerable things to stay updated and current. It's been keeping up with regulations on enclosures and animal size. It's AZA accredited. It IS a small zoo at 4.5 acres, but it's got a ton of character. Please keep in mind it's not free and all entrance fees go directly toward operations. If you're complaining about the fee, you're literally complaining about helping the zoo. So... don't? Anyway, they have big plans in the next few years with this new director - so be prepared to see some awesome things! read more

This is actually a great little zoo, one of my favorite places to visit for an hour or two. It's near the bus, it's near the Amtrak in Wilmington, there is plenty of parking, the adjacent park is a wonderful and beautiful place to roam in a small city with the best weather in the northeastern part of the USA. However, given present conditions in the United States of America, this is not someplace to go out of the way to visit. read more

See all

Otters. They have otters. For free, you can see otters. I like otters so it was an awesome zoo. They also had an armadillo, the handler was super informative. Downside: super tiny if you had to pay not and/or don't care about otters up close those may not be for you. read more

This zoo is nice but, small. We went in mid June and it was nice out but, there were a lot of bees around, some of which were bothering the other animals. A bee actually ended up stinging another guest while we were there. It was easy to find/get to and there is plenty of free parking. The zoo is also located in a very nice park. read more

Fun little zoo in a beautiful neighborhood. I took my 4, 2 and 4 month old. They loved it. Lots of benches to sit on.They also allow the kids to pet the goats and my kids really enjoyed doing that. read more

Brandywine Zoo - Gentle Goats - Zoos Near Me - Wilmington, Delaware

Had a play date here yesterday. Let's start with the pros. Pros: Plenty of parking Clean bathroom Friendly staff Clean park. Fun animals Pygmy goats you can pet. Lots of seating all around. Only $7 for adult. Con: it's very small. If you were moving at an average pace you could easily see everything I 30 min. We were definitely strolling leisurely and it was just over hour. This is great for small children. They loved what they saw and it wasn't overwhelming. Older children (8+) might be bored. read more

Wow no one's reviewed this place yet? Really? This was our default Fathers Day outing. Due to the inclement weather, we opted to try a museum we'd never been to, The Toy and Miniature Museum in Wilmington De. When was someone going to tell me that it no longer existed?! Apparently, it waas run out of a guys house and he couldnt keep it up anymore. My GPS Chewie, was making up for past misdeeds and suggested a number of alternatives in the area. Since it wasnt actually raining, we decided to try the Brandywine Zoo. It was only a 10 minute drive from where we were. The Brandywine Zoo, is located in Brandywine Park, a beautiful stretch just outside of downtown Wilmington along the Brandywine river (anyone sense a theme?). The Park itself is reason enough to come. What made it even more majestic is that the recent weather has made the river look like the Colorado Rapids. The sight, sounds and smell were uplifting. I could have stayed here but the kids were promised caged wildlife. The Zoo is a short jaunt away from the river. Rain seemed imminent, but we were determined. It was $16 to get in, but since Mama Nature threatened to piss on us, we opted for the membership at $45. This way, it didnt matter if we had to retreat, we can come back as much as possible( as well as over 100 Zoos in the States). This is a small zoo. Even smaller than our favorite, Elmwood park in Norristown (which was included in our membership). I dont mind small zoos. One of my problems with the Philly Zoo is theres almost too much to see in one visit. They had many stations open to learn from teenage volunteers ( note to self: get kids involved in something like that) and to do crafts (they made me a tie!) Highlights were the monkeys (no great apes, just tamarins and marmosets, whom I love) toucans, Tigers, and Otters. I also have to point out that the gift shop had reasonable prices. Many gift shops have been known to gouge. There was a little snack bar which we didnt partake of today, but seemed good for the future. Even Mother Nature behaved and blew the clouds away giving us some sun. It worked out well because on what could have been a busy Fathers Day weekend, turned out to be not so crowded due to the weather. It was amazing how many people came out of the woodwork, when the sun poked his manliness through the clouds. Didnt bother us because we had already seen everything unmolested. We will be back. And not just because we got the membership. Its a fun daytrip and a great diversion. Plus ive seen at least 3 animals poop there and ould like to add more to my poop journal. read more

I have been visiting this zoo from the time I was a tiny tot until now. It is very small but still enjoyable for young children or anyone looking for something inexpensive to do. Sadly, Sergei the tiger passed away a few years ago and Ashley the tiger was recently euthanized. I grew up seeing these tigers and even though she was 20 years old and in captivity it makes me sad to know she won't be there anymore. The little "please touch" goat pen and otters are my favorite sections. The otters are adorable when they come out to play and feed. Remember to keep your receipt if you want to visit the monkey house. It smells awful...but what else could you expect in a monkey house? This zoo is located along the scenic Brandywine River. So take your young children, visit the zoo, stroll the walkways of the Brandywine and have a picnic. It is absolutely gorgeous in the Fall/Spring weather. read more

Small Zoo and on my visit some of the animals were either gone or in hiding. You can plan on spending about an hour here, the enclosures are nice and well kept, just disappointing that we didn't see bobcat or any larger animals. We did see birds, goats, otters and monkees. Cost $7. read more

See all

Very nice but small zoo worth bringing the kids for a quick look at some animals. My favorite wss the Red Panda.

The brandywine zoo is a very nicely put together zoo in the middle of a park. It's beautiful honestly. Pros- goat petting area which was awesome -close up animals -cheap -easy parking -informational Cons- tiger enclosure way too small -other enclosures also way too small -small enough of a zoo that you can go through it within 30 minutes and have seen all and done all. If you're looking to do something quick and fun go here but don't expect an extravagant zoo where they are saving animals- just a regular zoo with animals on display and people walking around and pretending they know things about the animals there read more

I love this zoo because it's close and cheap. Sure, it's only about the length of three city blocks but whatever- great for toddlers. This is perfect and you can pet goats. The otter plays with two balls, the llama wears a purple jacket and the monkeys have their own house. read more

I love the Brandywine Zoo... I make it a point to get down there a couple times a year, although it's really not that far from my house so I should go more often. It's small and cheap and I love the setting of it right next to the river. Love the little monkeys the most - they are just too cute!!! read more