Indianapolis Zoo
Deserts, forests, oceans, plains & encounters
The Indianapolis Zoo at White River State Park was the first to be accredited as a zoo, an aquarium, and a botanical garden by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the American Association of Museums. That gives visitors a wide range of animals and plants to see at the zoo’s five distinct biomes–Deserts, Encounters, Forests, Oceans and Plains featuring some 250 species of animals and more than 2,000 varieties of plants together in simulated natural habitats.
At the Dolphin Pavilion/Marine mammals, one of the zoo’s new features, they’ve partnered with The Nature Conservancy to tell the story of dolphins in the wild and how Indiana plays a role in their habitat and health. Other marine mammals on exhibit include California sea lions, seals, and walrus.
Largest and most popular is the Dolphin Pavilion which includes, the first of its kind in the U.S., a 30-foot-diameter, 12-foot-high underwater viewing dome in the center of the main presentation pool. There’s also the Dolphin In-Water Encounter, 90 minutes with the both dolphins and their trainers learning what goes into taking care of these wonderful mammals.
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1200 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis 46222
Hours