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4850 West Powell Road
Powell, OH 43065
Park Map (PDF)
Hours
Hours vary depending on the time of year. See the full list.
Confirm hours for a particular day on their events page.
Very generally, their daily hours are:
Open: between 9 and 10 am.
Close: between 4 and 7 pm.
Admission
Age 0-2: Free
Age 2-9: $9.99
Age 10-59: $14.99
Age 60+: $10.99
Group and other discounts available.
Admission information
Membership information
Parking: $8
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Amenities
Rentals available for wheelchairs, scooters, strollers, and lockers
Cafés and food kiosks throughout the park
Bathrooms
Gift shops
Photo Policy
Photos are permitted (and encouraged) for personal use, but cannot be sold or published. Tripods and monopods are not permitted to block walkways, so it’s best to just leave them in the car. Commercial photography requires written permission from the zoo’s Community Relations department. Staff members may approach a photographer to inquire about the nature of their photography and request they take their gear to their car (that being said, I have yet to be approached). Read the full policy
The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is a great place to work on photo skills and get some animal shots you couldn’t otherwise get. Highly recommended is a long-range zoom. Don’t worry if your lens is on the slow side, as most of the attractions are outdoors. If you don’t have a long zoom, no problem! You can get up-close and personal with the animals, too. Walk into the lorikeet enclosure, try not to trip over the kangaroos in their pen (they often sun themselves in the path), get hands-on at the reptile house, and try to find the wandering peacock. Some areas are indoors, which means low light. Want to work on panning shots? The aquarium is a great place to practice. Flash is not permitted in the nocturnal area (Australia). All around, there’s enough variety in subject and environment to provide excellent opportunities to make pictures of every variety.
Also check out their special tours. They’re not too expensive, some are planned outside of normal zoo hours, and many occur behind the scenes. It’s a great way to get a more personal and educational experience, and maybe some shots you wouldn’t otherwise get!