Roger Williams Park Zoo to Reopen in June

Roger Williams Park Zoo is re-opening on Monday, June 1. The zoo is moving to a new online, timed-ticketing procedure due to COVID-19 precautions. RWPZ will re-open in phases and be open daily from 9 am to 4 pm.

Here is what each phase will look like:

• Monday, June 1, and Tuesday, June 2 - Only Rhode Island residents who are active Zoo members are invited to spend time at the Zoo.
• Wednesday, June 3 through Sunday, June 7 - The Zoo will be open for Rhode Island residents only, members and non-members.
• Monday, June 8 - Roger Williams Park Zoo will open to the public.

Tickets are now available for purchase, online only. Guests are reminded to keep these new protocols in mind: Timed ticketing procedures are in place. No tickets will be sold at the gate. All patrons, including members, must obtain tickets online for one of the following timeslots: 9 am, 10 am, 11 am, Noon, 1 pm, or 2 pm. Guests are welcome to remain on Zoo grounds until 4 pm. No one will be allowed on Zoo grounds without showing a ticket at the parking lot entrance, including members.

“The entire staff is excited to welcome everyone back to the Zoo,” says Dr. Jeremy Goodman, executive director of Roger Williams Park Zoo. We are enhancing cleaning procedures and following the state’s mandated requirement that everyone wears face masks. We are also placing reminders around the Zoo emphasizing social distancing to keep all our guests and staff healthy and safe. There is no better place than our 40 acres to enjoy nature, visit with animals we all love, and engage in learning about wildlife and wild places.”

When arriving at the Zoo all guests will be stopped at the entrance gate and must have:

• From June 1 to June 7 - valid Rhode Island residency identification for each adult.
• Face mask for each guest in the vehicle.
• Pre-Purchased admission tickets for each guest in the vehicle.
• We encourage you to print out a ticket at home; you may also display the ticket on your phone
• MEMBERS - E-Membership card app open and ready. You may need to click on ‘Find My Membership Cards’ in the app to refresh.
• Members will not be allowed entry without an e-ticket. No exceptions.

Guests will be admitted only during their designated timeslot and should park every other space to practice social distancing.  Parking is not allowed in spaces that have a large X through them.  Before entering the Zoo guests will have their temperatures checked. If temperatures are 100.4 and above, Zoo staff will require guests to wait in a designated area and then be re-checked.  If the temperature still reads 100.4 or above the guest(s) will be asked to visit at a later date.

If taking public transportation buses will pick up and drop off passengers at the bus stops near the tennis courts on Hawthorne Avenue.

Important Changes at the Zoo

Once inside the Zoo flow of pedestrian traffic will be one-way only around the grounds. There will be staff and volunteers to help guide visitors and answer any questions. Strollers, wagons, and wheelchairs from home are permitted. They will also be available for rental. Due to State regulations on outdoor dining, guests will not be allowed to bring their own food into the Zoo.  However, our new foodservice partner SSA Group has refurbished all cafes and enhanced all safety protocols including ordering and payment from your mobile device.  SSA is a leader in the foodservice industry working closely with Zoo staff to make sure all State regulations around COVID-19 protocols are in place. Additionally, guests will enjoy their locally sourced menu items, traditional Rhode Island fare, and tasty snacks.

The Building & Grounds staff is enhancing cleaning protocols, which include making sure restrooms, surfaces including tables, railings, and picnic tables are cleaned regularly. There are plenty of hand sanitizer dispensers around the Zoo. Additionally, Zoo staff ask that everyone remembers to wash hands as often as possible.

By order of the State of Rhode Island, everyone out in public must wear a face mask.  Therefore, all guests are required to wear a mask while at the Zoo. All zoo staff members and volunteers will be wearing a face mask.  Masks keep all of us, human and animal, safe from COVID-19.

All buildings will be closed. High frequency, high touch play-based activities will not be available. Sadly, we are canceling our Bank RI Farmhouse Stage Wild Bunch performances, and Hasbro’s Our Big Backyard, Explore & Soar rides and the Carousel area will be closed until further notice.

Please click HERE for updated Zoo information.