NEWS
For immediate release| 03.19.26
Download Photos and Broll, Gallery Password: HouZoo1922
Photo credit: Houston Zoo | Video credit: Kevin Kendrick/Houston Zoo
HOUSTON (March. 19, 2026) – This spring Houston Zoo will blossom before your eyes during its new Zoo Bloom celebration. From March 27- May 3 guests will celebrate the beauty of the season and learn the vital role of pollinators, like bees, birds, bats and butterflies, play in our vibrant city. The new multi-day event will feature plant-friendly experiences in the Wildlife Workshop, the Zoo’s first public Plant Sale, daily Meet the Keeper Chats centered around pollinators and extended hours, until 9:00 p.m., on March 28, April 4, 11 and 18.
Zoo Bloom will kick off March 27 with a special one-night experience with extended hours, All You Can Zoo. The limited ticketed event will run from 5:00 – 10:00 p.m. On this evening, guests will have several special animal experiences across the Zoo including a kiss from a llama, watch a sea lion training session and experience a python’s mealtime, among other experiences. Guests will be treated to an all-you-can-eat dinner buffet, complimentary giraffe feeding, free face painting for all ages and unlimited access to TXU Energy presents Mythical Realms.
Throughout Zoo Bloom, the Zoo will stay open late on the first four Saturdays, giving visitors more time to enjoy the spring-inspired décor and colorful plant displays across the Zoo. On April 4, the Zoo will host its first public Plant Sale, featuring native plants grown in the Zoo’s greenhouse and propagated from different animal habitats, that guests can take home to create pollinator spaces to support local wildlife in their own backyards, schools or neighborhoods.
Zoo Bloom activities are included with general admission and free for members. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.houstonzoo.org.
By visiting Houston Zoo during Zoo Bloom, guests help save pollinators, like monarch butterflies. A portion of each Zoo ticket and membership supports the Zoo’s on-site monarch tagging program. Monarchs migrate through Texas every year traveling up to 3,000 miles to the warmer weather in Mexico. Tagging provides valuable data on migration routes and habitat use, guiding conservation efforts along the way. Guests can help monarchs at home by planting native milkweed; the only plant monarch caterpillars eat, creating safe places for them to feed and lay eggs to support future generations.
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The Houston Zoo connects communities with animals, inspiring action to save wildlife. Established in 1922, today the Zoo is a leading conservation and education nonprofit organization providing care to thousands of animals. All while remaining a cherished destination for fun, family, and inspiration for all of Houston’s diverse communities. The Houston Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation. To stay informed about the Houston Zoo, visit www.houstonzoo.org.
