Membership FAQs

To prevent misuse of membership cards, we require that adult cardholders present a photo ID when entering the Zoo. As Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s non-profit partner, we rely on memberships for much of our support. We also want to protect our members should their cards be lost or stolen.

Yes. Simply bring your photo ID to the membership services window located in the ticketing plaza, and our Representatives will verify your membership and provide you with a temporary membership card, if necessary. Want to skip the line? Have a temporary membership card immediately emailed to the email address on file here, which can be scanned off your device at the gate for entry when shown with your photo ID.

If your permanent membership card has been lost or stolen, there is a $7.00 fee to order replacement cards. Please visit the membership services window located in the ticketing plaza, and our Representatives will verify your membership and reorder your membership cards. You may also order replacement cards by calling the Membership Office at (216) 635-3329. If you would prefer to avoid the reprint fee, you may request a temporary membership card here, and it will be delivered to the email address on file. You may also request a new temporary card by visiting the membership services window located in the ticketing plaza.

Visit the Cleveland Zoological Society website or the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo website. Additional information can be found at the Facebook pages for the Cleveland Zoological Society or the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.

Also, $3 from each member's annual dues goes for a subscription to Z Magazine. Read this quarterly publication and our blog for Zoo news and event updates.

If you will be visiting the Cleveland Zoo and have a membership with another zoo on our reciprocal zoo list, simply visit the Zoo Box Office in the ticketing plaza with your membership card and photo ID to purchase your discounted admission tickets. We will recognize two (2) named adults and up to two (2) children for discounted tickets. Additional tickets will be regular admission prices. If you are a Cleveland Zoo member and would like to visit a reciprocating zoo, please contact the zoo you plan to visit in advance to confirm membership level and admission information. Always present your Cleveland Zoo membership card and photo ID when visiting another zoo. For more information, please visit our Reciprocal Zoos page. Reciprocity is subject to change.

Please contact the Cleveland Zoological Society at (216) 635-3346.

Senior Plus, Individual Plus, Family, Family Plus, Family Select, Keepers Club, and Explorers Club memberships are fully tax deductible. If the Total Experience Membership option is added to any membership, the additional cost of that option is not tax deductible. Please email membership@ClevelandZooSociety.org with any questions.

Yes. Simply visit the membership services window located in the ticketing plaza, and our Representatives will process your membership. You will be given a temporary membership card that is valid immediately, and your permanent membership cards will arrive in 3-4 weeks.

Yes, we do! Membership gift certificates may be purchased on our website, by phone or mail, or at the membership services window located in the ticketing plaza. If purchasing on our website, by phone, or at the membership services window, an emailed gift certificate will be immediately sent to the delivery email address provided. If purchasing by mail, the membership gift card will be mailed to your address within 7-10 days.

Memberships are designed to cover one family in the same household.

Yes, you can, so please keep your ticket stubs! We will apply the cost of admission tickets to a membership, up to the number of people that will be covered by the membership. For example, if you would like a membership to cover you, your spouse, and your three children, we will apply the cost of a maximum of five admission tickets to your membership. To apply admission tickets, please bring the ticket stubs to the membership services window located in the ticketing plaza, within two weeks of your paid visit. If you do not have the actual tickets, please bring your ticket receipt. You may also apply the tickets by filling out a membership application and mailing it, along with the tickets, to us with your payment. Please note that we may only apply the full dollar amount of each ticket less the .50 cents for conservation to the membership. Attraction tickets cannot be applied.

Membership cards will arrive in the mail 3-4 weeks after you have joined or renewed your membership. Your temporary membership card is valid for Zoo admission until your permanent cards arrive. If you have misplaced your temporary card, you may request another one here, and it will be delivered to the email address on file. You may also request a new temporary card by visiting the membership services window.

Any membership purchased or renewed on June 1st, 2021 and afterwards will automatically receive digital cards. We will no longer print and mail out physical cards automatically with a membership purchase or renewal as of June 1st, 2021. Existing physical cards will still be accepted at the Zoo gate and can be used until the expiration date printed on the physical card.

The babysitter option is for Family, Family Plus, Family Select, Keepers Club, and Explorers Club membership levels. It allows one unnamed adult (this person can be different with each visit) to bring the children listed on the membership to the zoo. The babysitter is not able to use the guest privileges on the membership (if applicable) however, and can only bring themselves and the children using the membership. The cost of the babysitter is an additional $30 to the base cost of the membership level.