The Chicago Zoological Society provides free general admission to Illinois school groups between Labor Day and Memorial Day—Monday through Friday—from Head Start, public, and private Illinois groups serving pre-kindergarten through college for self-guided field trips. Parking and attraction fees still apply. Reservations must be made a minimum of ten business days before your scheduled field trip. This opportunity is intended to afford all children, chaperones, and teachers in a class or school an opportunity to enjoy the zoo as a group and to learn about and experience animals and nature in a beautiful park-like setting.
Make your reservations early—space is limited. No reservations will be taken less than 10 business days prior to your requested field trip date. If you must cancel or change a reservation, refer to your confirmation email for those instructions. Your confirmation email will also contain information about how to pay for parking and how to purchase additional attraction tickets.
The 2023-24 season begins on Tuesday, September 5.
Review the chart below to see if your group qualifies for free or reduced general admission.
