What San Francisco Zoo does

San Francisco Zoo, legally the San Francisco Zoological Society, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit zoological park and gardens founded in 1929, operating on a 100-acre coastal site at Sloat Boulevard and the Great Highway in San Francisco. It houses over 2,000 exotic, endangered, and rescued animals across 260 species, including a three-acre mixed-species African Savanna exhibit. The core offering is general admission (adults $29 weekday / $31 weekend, with resident, senior, child, and EBT/Medi-Cal discounted tiers), supplemented by a multi-tiered annual membership program ranging from $99 (Senior) to $2,500+ (Guardian) and a premium donor program with Chairman-level contributions of $10,000+.

The business model combines transactional admission revenue with recurring memberships and donations, paid add-on experiences (Wild Explorer VR Theater featuring Gorilla Trek and The Great Migration, Little Puffer steam train, 1921 Dentzel Carousel, Zoo Keys), on-site food and retail, corporate event and wedding venue rentals ($7,000–$9,000+), charity walk hosting, and channel partnerships with CityPASS and Go City San Francisco Pass for bundled tourist visitation. Educational programming includes school field trips (free for SFUSD September–May), Animal Connections keeper chats, VIP tours, Zoo Camp, and a Neurodiversity Program with sensory guides. Technology plays a supporting rather than central role: an AI-based website accessibility layer (voice navigation, OCR, ARIA optimization), the VR theater, and a YouZooYou digital experience extension.

The organization is governed by a board of directors under a Joint Zoo Committee partnership with the City and County of San Francisco, and operates with 101–250 employees. Following a 40% attendance decline since 2019 and nearly $12 million in losses in the most recent fiscal year, the zoo is under new executive leadership (CEO Cassandra Costello, appointed February 2026) that has driven record monthly attendance and expanded community access programs. A competing EcoPark SF campaign proposing a $350 million transformation of the site has been advanced publicly, though current management has dismissed the plan as unrealistic.

Name

San Francisco Zoo

Legal name

San Francisco Zoological Society

Website

https://sfzoo.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1929

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

San Francisco Zoo is a 501(c)(3) non-profit zoological park and gardens operating since 1929 on 100 coastal acres housing 2,000+ animals across 260 species, serving Bay Area families, tourists, school groups, corporate event clients, and donors through admissions, memberships, and conservation programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Zoological Park and Wildlife Conservation Services

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections) (THAJADAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation Parks & Reserves (Visitor Operations) (THAAAAAG)

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation services
• Zoological park admissions
• Family educational experiences
• Membership attractions program
• Event venue rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Admission Tickets: Revenue from daily admission fees for adults, children, and seniors at standard and discounted rates for San Francisco residents
2. Memberships: Annual membership programs ranging from Senior ($99) to Guardian ($2,500) levels providing unlimited admission and various perks
3. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Tax-deductible donations supporting conservation, animal care, education programs. Accepts stocks, crypto, mutual funds, DAFs, tribute/memorial gifts
4. Parking Fees: Parking voucher sales at $13 weekday, $15 weekend, valet parking at $25
5. Rides and Attractions: Revenue from Little Puffer miniature steam train ($9/person), Dentzel Carousel ($4/person), and VR experiences
6. Food and Retail: On-site restaurants including Leaping Lemur Café, Station Café, Café Playfield; gift shop and online store merchandise sales
7. Events and Private Rentals: Corporate events, weddings, birthday parties, charity walks. Venue rental fees from $7,000-$9,000 plus per-participant admission
8. Guardian Program Donations: Premium donor program with minimum $1,000 annual contribution providing VIP benefits and recognition
9. Third-Party Pass Programs: Revenue through CityPASS and Go City San Francisco Pass partnerships offering bundled attraction tickets

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

San Francisco Zoo & Gardens operates a 100-acre zoological park and gardens on the Pacific Coast housing over 2,000 exotic, endangered, and rescued animals across 260 species. Its core offerings are daily admission tickets, multi-tier annual memberships, on-site paid rides and attractions (Little Puffer steam train, Dentzel Carousel, Wild Explorer VR Theater), educational animal encounters, on-site dining and retail, and venue rental for corporate events, weddings, and charity walks.

Product overview

San Francisco Zoo & Gardens operates as a unified zoological park and entertainment venue offering a diverse portfolio of interconnected products and services. The core offering is general zoo admission providing access to 100 acres of gardens housing over 2,000 exotic, endangered, and rescued animals across 260 species. This is complemented by premium membership tiers (Senior through Guardian) that unlock unlimited admission and exclusive benefits. The experience is enhanced through paid attractions including the Wild Explorer VR Theater (featuring Gorilla Trek and The Great Migration), historic rides (Little Puffer Train, Dentzel Carousel), and the Elinor Friend Playground. Educational programming includes Animal Connections & Feedings (daily keeper chats and feedings), VIP Tours, School Field Trips, and the Teddy Bear Clinic. Supporting revenue streams include event hosting services (corporate events, weddings, birthday parties), charity walk venue rentals, the Adopt-An-Animal program, and the Guardian donor program. Dining options include the Leaping Lemur Café, Station Café, and Café Playfield. The YouZooYou VR experience represents a newer digital product extension. The zoo also offers accessibility equipment rentals and operates the Neurodiversity Program with sensory guides.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• General Zoo Admission Daily entry tickets to a 100-acre zoological park and gardens housing 2,000+ animals across 260 species, priced by age (Adult $29-$31, Senior $24-$26, Child $20-$22) with discounted SF resident rates and a $3 low-income access pass via the SF Museums All Program. Open 365 days a year, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Zoo Membership Program Annual subscription memberships in tiers Senior ($99), Individual Plus ($149), Family ($199), Family Plus ($239), Supporting ($300), and Maki ($500), providing unlimited admission, ride discounts, and member benefits.
• Guardian Donor Program Premium annual donor program with four levels (Keeper $1,000-$2,499, Curator $2,500-$4,999, Director $5,000-$9,999, Chairman $10,000+) offering VIP cards, free admission/parking/rides, behind-the-scenes tours, and recognition.
• Wild Explorer Virtual Reality Theater Proprietary VR theater experience featuring 360-degree films including Gorilla Trek and The Great Migration, transporting guests to Rwanda's high-elevation forests. Tickets sold separately from zoo admission.
• Little Puffer Miniature Steam Train Historic miniature steam train ride around the zoo at $9 per person (children under 3 free), operating 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (weather permitting).
• Dentzel Carousel Restored 1921 Dentzel Carousel featuring horses, cats, rabbits, and giraffes. Tickets are $4 per person, with adults riding free when standing by a paid child.
• Adopt-An-Animal Program Symbolic animal adoption donation program allowing supporters to fund animal health and wellness in exchange for species-specific recognition.
• School Field Trip Program Educational group visits with FREE admission for SFUSD schools September through May and $10-$14.50 per person for non-SFUSD groups; minimum 15 participants, 3-week advance reservation.
• Animal Connections & Feedings Daily keeper chats, feeding sessions, and educational animal presentations including Raptor Talk, Penguin Feeding, Lion Keeper Chat, and Wildlife Theater Show.
• VIP Guided Tours Docent-led walking tours including the Senior Mornings Guided Tour ($15 members, $25 non-members) held the first Thursday of each month at 9:00 a.m.
• Event Hosting (Corporate, Weddings, Birthdays) Venue rental for corporate events, weddings, and birthday parties at the zoo with customizable spaces including the Great Hall and event planning services.
• Charity Walk Venue Rental Venue rental for nonprofit charity walks across 100 acres, including designated registration, private event lawn, and exclusive 1-mile route. Pricing is $7,000 (1-500 participants) or $9,000 (501+) plus $15 per participant.
• Transport Rentals (ECV, Wheelchair, Stroller) Daily rental of accessibility and family mobility equipment at the Main Gate on a first-come, first-served basis: ECV $38, wheelchair $15, single stroller $15, double stroller $18.
• Conservation Programs Conservation and wellness initiatives for species including the San Francisco Damselfly, Western pond turtles, and mountain yellow-legged frogs, in partnership with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
• CityPASS Bundle Admission SF Zoo admission bundled with 3 other San Francisco attractions (from a list including Alcatraz, Academy of Sciences, Exploratorium, Aquarium of the Bay) at up to 45% savings, starting at $69.95 and valid 9 days.
• Go City San Francisco Pass Inclusion SF Zoo admission included with the Go City San Francisco digital pass covering 30+ Bay Area attractions at savings up to 50% vs. individual tickets.

Quantifiable outcome

• Record January attendance of approximately 63,000 visitors achieved under current leadership
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Russell Reynolds AssociatescoreOthers · 20 February 2026Global executive search firm that partnered with San Francisco Zoo to conduct the comprehensive national search resulting in Cassandra Costello's appointment as CEO and Executive Director. The search process led to the selection of Costello after her successful tenure as interim Co-CEO.
• City and County of San FranciscocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing reduced daily admission tickets for SF residents. Through the San Francisco Museums All Program, residents with EBT/SNAP or Medi-Cal cards receive $3 admission. The city also supports the zoo through Mayor Daniel Lurie's Family Opportunity Agenda.
• San Francisco Public Library (Discover & Go)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLibrary program allowing patrons to check out free zoo passes through the Discover & Go program, expanding access to Bay Area attractions for library cardholders.
• CityPASScoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCityPASS bundles SF Zoo admission with 3 other San Francisco attractions (from a list of 8 including Alcatraz, Academy of Sciences, Exploratorium, Aquarium of the Bay) at up to 45% savings. Mobile ticket delivery available.
• Go CitycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGo City San Francisco Pass provides admission to SF Zoo plus 30+ attractions including LEGOLAND Discovery Center, Hop-On Hop-Off Big Bus, de Young Museum, SFMOMA. Digital app-based pass saves up to 50% vs individual tickets.
• TeslaminorOthersEV charging station donor providing 3 Tesla-only towers and 2 universal charging towers in the public parking lot. Stations are free to use and can charge multiple vehicles simultaneously.
• San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZoo offers $1 discount off admission for visitors who take Muni to the zoo. Accessible via L Taraval line, Muni bus lines 23 and 18 stop at the zoo.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Oakland Zoo: Direct regional peer in the San Francisco Bay Area operating a comparable zoological park with conservation, education, and family entertainment programming, competing for the same local resident and tourist audience.
• Sacramento Zoo: Mid-sized California zoo offering a comparable mix of admissions, memberships, education programs, and event rentals; useful comparable for unit-economics and capital-intensity benchmarking in a similar state and regulatory environment.

Direct peers

• San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance: One of the world's leading zoological organizations operating a major accredited zoo with similar animal collection, conservation, education, and tourism-driven revenue model, serving as the gold-standard comparable for institutional scale and operations.
• Monterey Bay Aquarium: Major Northern California aquarium and wildlife institution with comparable membership, donor, and tourism-revenue model. Strong peer for ticketed wildlife attraction benchmarks and conservation-program comparability.
• Los Angeles Zoo: Accredited urban zoological park operated by the City of Los Angeles with similar municipal partnership structure, family entertainment focus, and educational programming targeting a major California metro audience.
• Audubon Zoo: Accredited zoo within the Audubon Nature Institute complex, offering comparable wildlife collections, family admissions, memberships, and conservation programming across similar visitor segments.
• Bronx Zoo (Wildlife Conservation Society): One of the largest metropolitan zoos in the U.S., operated by WCS, with a highly comparable admissions/membership/donation revenue mix, conservation focus, and urban zoological park operating model.
• St. Louis Zoo: Accredited major metropolitan zoo with strong education, conservation, and membership programming, frequently cited as a top-tier comparable for operational excellence in a major U.S. city.
• Denver Zoo: Accredited urban zoo with comparable mix of admissions, memberships, donor programs, and conservation/education initiatives, plus a similar scale of animal collection and capital infrastructure investment needs.

Broad incumbents

• Smithsonian's National Zoo: Federally operated, free-admission zoological park in Washington D.C., serving as a broad incumbent comparable on conservation programming scale, collection breadth, and educational mission despite differing funding model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sfzoo
• YouTubeyoutube.com/sfzoo
• Facebookfacebook.com/sanfranzoo
• Instagraminstagram.com/sanfranciscozoo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/san-francisco-zoo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about San Francisco Zoo