Sedgwick County Zoo

About

Sedgwick County Zoo sits on 247 acres in Sedgwick County Park on the west side of Wichita, Kansas, with about 115 acres currently developed for exhibits. It opened in 1971 and now holds more than 3,000 animals across nearly 400 species, enough to rank it among the thirteen largest zoos in the United States by both animal count and species variety. The zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

Major exhibits include the Downing Gorilla Forest (2004), Cessna Penguin Cove, the zoo's first marine exhibit (2007), and the Reed Family Elephants of the Zambezi River Valley (2016), the third largest elephant habitat in the country. The Tropics building, an indoor rainforest exhibit, is the second oldest of its kind in the United States. An 11-acre North America habitat opened in 1993. Keeper chats, seasonal events, a zoo store, and several food locations round out a visit.

As of 2026 the zoo is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with general admission running $28 online or $33 at the gate for ages 12 to 61, and lower rates for seniors and children ages 3 to 11. Parking is free. Because the grounds are large and mostly outdoors, a full visit takes several hours, and mobility rental scooters and wheelchairs can sell out on busy weekends and holidays if not reserved ahead.

The zoo's address is 5555 W Zoo Blvd in Wichita, inside Sedgwick County Park alongside the park's other recreational areas. As of 2009 it was already recording over 650,000 visitors a year and ranked as the state's top outdoor tourist attraction, drawing families from across Kansas for day trips built around a single destination.

Accessibility

Sedgwick County Zoo is workable for wheelchair users, though the zoo's own site documents rental equipment and service animal rules more than the physical layout of paths, restrooms, or entrances.

Parking is free, and general admission includes it, but the zoo does not publish specifics about designated accessible parking spaces, so call ahead if you need one close to the gate. The main entrances are on Zoo Boulevard and Windmill Road.

Once inside, visitors who have used the zoo for mobility reasons describe the paths as wide, easy to navigate, and mostly flat, without the sharp grades a smaller or hillier zoo might have. The zoo covers 247 acres with about 115 developed, so distances between exhibits add up over a full visit; benches are spread throughout the grounds, though shade over them is limited.

For mobility equipment, the zoo rents push wheelchairs for $10, electric scooters for $30, and scooters with a canopy for $35. Online reservations close at midnight the day before a visit, and the zoo recommends booking ahead because rentals sell out on busy weekends and holidays. Same-day online booking is not available, and unreserved scooters go out first come, first served.

Only service dogs are permitted in the zoo; other pets can be left in a limited pet parking area near the entrance. A longtime visitor who used a mobility scooter for several years reported that staff were consistently helpful with questions and requests for assistance.

The zoo does not publish information about restroom accessibility, elevators, braille or high-contrast signage, assistive listening, captioning, or sensory-friendly hours. If any of these matter for your visit, call (316) 660-9453 before you go.

Checked by Accessible America, August 2026. Report a change

More accessible places in Kansas

• Botanica Wichita (Wichita)
• Wichita Art Museum (Wichita)
• Museum of World Treasures (Wichita)
• Great Plains Nature Center (Wichita)
• Exploration Place (Wichita)
• Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park (Topeka)

Photo credits

• A thatched-roof entrance building leads to Gorilla Forest, with a paved walkway.: Patrick Pelletier, CC BY-SA 3.0 (source)
• A giraffe stands beside a rock-walled habitat at Sedgwick County Zoo.: User:Mcox1960, CC BY-SA 3.0 (source)
• A lioness rests on a large rock in her habitat at Sedgwick County Zoo.: Ashley Wann, CC BY-SA 4.0 (source)