The Peoria Zoo sits inside Glen Oak Park in Peoria, Illinois, tracing its roots back to 1897, when the Peoria Park District dedicated a small zoological collection built around a donated elk herd. Over more than a century, that modest menagerie grew into an accredited modern zoo, officially renamed from Glen Oak Zoo to Peoria Zoo in 2009.
Despite covering just 14 acres, the Peoria Zoo is home to around 232 animals representing more than 100 species. Its biggest draw is the Africa exhibit, a $27.5 million expansion that opened in 2009 and nearly doubled the zoo’s footprint, bringing giraffes, zebras, rhinos, lions, and mandrills to central Illinois.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Glen Oak Park, Peoria, Illinois
- Opened: 1897 (as Glen Oak Zoo); renamed Peoria Zoo in 2009
- Size: 14 acres (5.7 hectares)
- Animals: About 232 animals
- Species: Over 100 species
- Hours: Open daily 10am-5pm, last admission 4:30pm
- Accredited by: Association of Zoos and Aquariums, since 1976
- Famous for: The Africa exhibit, home to giraffes, zebras, rhinos, lions, and mandrills
From Elk Herd to Accredited Zoo
The Peoria Zoo’s story began in the late 1800s, when the Peoria Park District accepted a donated herd of elk, leading to the formal dedication of Glen Oak Zoo in 1897. The zoo expanded steadily through the 20th century, adding the Tropics building in 1955 with guidance from Marlin Perkins, the St. Louis Zoo director later known for hosting Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom.
Support groups formalized over time, with Friends of Glen Oak Zoo forming in 1970 and the Peoria Zoological Society following in 1997. The zoo has held accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums since 1976, a status it has maintained through its growth and rebranding.
Peoria Zoo Hours and Visiting Tips
The Peoria Zoo is open daily from 10am to 5pm, with the admission gate closing at 4:30pm. It closes for a handful of major holidays each year, including Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day, so visitors planning a trip around those dates should check the zoo’s website before heading out.
Because the zoo covers a compact 14 acres, most visitors can comfortably tour every exhibit in a single visit without needing a full day. Arriving earlier in the day tends to make for a more relaxed pace and better animal activity, especially during warmer months.
Visiting the Africa Exhibit and Beyond
In 2009, the zoo unveiled its Africa exhibit, a multi-year, $27.5 million project that nearly doubled the facility’s size and prompted the rename from Glen Oak Zoo to Peoria Zoo. The exhibit houses giraffes, zebras, rhinos, lions, and mandrills across naturalistic habitats. Beyond Africa, visitors explore the Asian Trail, home to Siberian tigers, Sichuan takins, and Reeves’s muntjacs, plus the Australia Walkabout with wallabies and emus, the Tropics building, and a hands-on Contact Barn for domestic animals.
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Peoria Zoo FAQs
What are the Peoria Zoo’s hours?
The Peoria Zoo is open daily from 10am to 5pm, with last admission at 4:30pm. It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.
How big is the Peoria Zoo?
The Peoria Zoo covers about 14 acres (5.7 hectares) inside Glen Oak Park in Peoria, Illinois.
How many animals live at the Peoria Zoo?
The zoo is home to roughly 232 animals representing over 100 species, from African giraffes and lions to Siberian tigers and Australian wallabies.
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Photo: NatFee / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.