Forest Park Zoo

Name

Forest Park Zoo

Legal name

The Zoo in Forest Park & Education Center

Website

https://forestparkzoo.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1898

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Forest Park Zoo is a 125+ year-old nonprofit zoo in Springfield, Massachusetts, housing 225+ animals and offering admissions, memberships, education programs, donations, sponsorships, and signature fundraising events to families, schools, and conservation supporters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Zoological Park Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Zoo & Aquarium Parks (Ticketed Wildlife Attractions) (THAJAEAE), Wildlife Interpretation & Education Centers (Visitor Centers, Museums) (THAAAFAG)

Keywords

• Wildlife education programs
• Zoological park services
• Animal conservation programs
• Membership zoo admissions
• Wildlife rehabilitation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Springfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Admission Fees: Revenue from daily admission tickets for visitors to the zoo.
2. Membership Subscriptions: Annual memberships providing unlimited free admission, discounts, and exclusive access to member events. Memberships range from $50 (Individual) to $175 (Family Exclusive).
3. Merchandise and Gift Shop: On-site retail sales including apparel, accessories, souvenirs, and branded merchandise.
4. Donations: General donations and monthly recurring donations supporting animal care, education, and rehabilitation programs.
5. Event Tickets: Revenue from special events including Brew at The Zoo ($55-$75), Wine Safari ($55), Eggstravaganza ($8-$13), and other fundraising events.
6. Animal Adoption and Sponsorship: Symbolic animal adoption packages at $50 including welcome letter, certificate, fact sheet, and day passes. Exhibit sponsorships from $100 to $20,000.
7. Corporate Sponsorships: Exhibit and event sponsorships at various levels providing business recognition and personalized signage.
8. Brick Program: Commemorative brick purchases at $125 for permanent installation on the zoo's brick bridge.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Zoo in Forest Park & Education Center is a nonprofit zoological facility operating animal exhibits with over 225 native and exotic residents, providing wildlife education, conservation programming, and permanent care for non-releasable animals. It sells daily admissions, annual memberships, symbolic animal adoptions, event tickets, on-site merchandise, educational programs (field trips, camps, school programs), and corporate sponsorship packages.

Product overview

The Zoo in Forest Park & Education Center is a nonprofit zoological facility offering a unified visitor experience combining animal exhibits with educational programs. The product portfolio includes: merchandise (apparel, stickers, drinkware, ornaments, magnets, keychains, and bundles); memberships (Individual, Adult Couple, Senior Couple, Family Plus, and Family Exclusive tiers with escalating benefits); symbolic animal adoption packages; exhibit sponsorships at multiple price levels; commemorative brick program; donation options including monthly recurring and major donor society; animal encounter and guided tour experiences; signature events (Brew at the Zoo, Wine Safari, Spooky Safari, Eggstravaganza); and educational programs (field trips, Zoo Camp, Zoo School, Kids Go Wild, Wildlife on Wheels, Keeper training programs). The zoo houses over 225 animal residents and focuses on education, conservation, and rehabilitation of non-releasable wildlife.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Daily Zoo Admission Daily admission tickets for public visitors to access zoo exhibits and meet over 225 animal residents. Operated as a walk-in service at the Springfield, Massachusetts location.
• 2026 Individual Membership Annual membership for a single adult providing unlimited free admission to the zoo for the calendar year.
• 2026 Adult Couple Membership Annual membership for two named adults living in the same household providing unlimited free admission during the open season.
• 2026 Senior Couple Membership Annual membership for two named adults aged 62+ living in the same household with unlimited free admission during the open season. Optional parking passes available.
• 2026 Family Plus Membership Annual family membership for two named adults, up to three children, and two unnamed guests per visit, with a 10% gift shop discount. Extra caregiver add-on available.
• 2026 Family Exclusive Membership Premium annual family membership for two named adults, three children, and two guests per visit, including Family Exclusive Member Days access, four animal feed coupons, 15% gift shop discount, and early Zoo Camp registration.
• Symbolic Animal Adoption $50 symbolic adoption package including a welcome letter with the animal's story, certificate of adoption, species fact sheet, and two one-day passes for the 2026 season. Optional guided tour add-on for $75.
• Exhibit Sponsorships Annual exhibit sponsorship program with personalized signage at the chosen exhibit. Levels include Friend ($500), Bronze ($1,000), Silver ($2,000), Gold ($3,000), Platinum ($5,000), and Education Center ($20,000).
• Commemorative Brick Personalized 4x8 inch commemorative brick installed on the zoo's brick bridge. Includes up to 3 lines of text (15 characters per line). Priced at $125.
• General Donation One-time or monthly recurring donation supporting animal care, education programs, and zoo operations. Suggested amounts of $75, $150, or $250.
• Keystone Giving Society Major donor recognition society with annual gift tiers: Beaver ($1,000-$2,499), Wolf ($2,500-$4,999), Alligator ($5,000-$9,999), and Bison ($10,000+). Benefits include memberships, event tickets, and exhibit dedications.
• Animal Encounter Experience Up-close animal encounters and interactions with zoo animals. Available as an add-on to adoption packages.
• Guided Zoo Tour Guided tour of the zoo led by educators or zookeepers. Available as an add-on for $75.
• Brew at The Zoo Annual adults-only fundraising event featuring craft beer samples from local breweries, home brew competition, live music, food trucks, and animal interactions. VIP tickets ($75) include an extra 1.5 hours with animal encounters; general admission is $55.
• Wine Safari Adults-only event pairing wines from around the world with animals from the same regions. Includes wine samples, animal encounters, keeper talks, and small bites. Ticket price $55.
• Spooky Safari Family-friendly Halloween event with trick-or-treat trail, animal encounters, face painting, crafts, scavenger hunt, and costume contest for children ages 0-12.

Quantifiable outcome

• Home to 225+ animal residents representing diverse species
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PeoplesBankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor for Brew at The Zoo 2026, the zoo's largest annual fundraiser. Provides financial support for the signature event.
• Highland Street FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor for Free Admission Day and Spring Week series, providing free community access to the zoo.
• Hogan TechnologyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKeg sponsor for Brew at The Zoo event.
• Renewal by AndersenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKeg sponsor for Brew at The Zoo and sponsor for Spooky Safari event.
• USA Hauling & RecyclingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKeg sponsor for Brew at The Zoo event.
• BaconWilsonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKeg sponsor for Brew at The Zoo event.
• Hub InternationalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPint sponsor for Brew at The Zoo event.
• Go NetSpeedminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPint sponsor for Brew at The Zoo and sponsor for Spooky Safari event.
• Beacon BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPint sponsor for Brew at The Zoo event.
• GZAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPint sponsor for Brew at The Zoo event.
• Zoological Association of AmericaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional organization membership providing accreditation and standards for zoological facilities.
• TripAdvisorminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTravel review platform where the zoo maintains a presence for visitor reviews and visibility.
• Great NonprofitminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNonprofit directory providing visibility and credibility for the zoo's charitable mission.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• New England Aquarium: Major Boston-based nonprofit aquarium serving the same broader New England family market with a large live-animal collection, education programs, memberships, and signature fundraising events - same family of comparable institutions but at substantially larger scale.
• Mystic Aquarium: Nonprofit aquarium and ocean-focused wildlife institution in Mystic, CT - broader New England live-animal attraction with education, conservation, and event programming analogous to Forest Park Zoo but at larger scale and with a marine focus.
• Zoo New England: Operates Franklin Park Zoo (Boston) and Stone Zoo (Stoneham, MA) - the larger accredited nonprofit zoo operator in Massachusetts, providing a comparable education/conservation mission at greater scale and with broader programming depth.

Direct peers

• New England Wildlife Center: Wildlife rehabilitation and education nonprofit in MA serving the same Western New England geography with native wildlife care, hospital operations, and school programming - directly comparable non-releasable animal and education mission.
• Vermont Institute of Natural Science: Nonprofit wildlife center in Quechee, VT focused on raptor education, rehabilitation of non-releasable birds, and school programming - directly comparable conservation/rehabilitation mission and educational delivery model in New England.
• Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo: Nonprofit regional zoo in Bridgeport, CT - similar mid-scale accredited zoological institution with overlapping education, conservation, and membership/event revenue mechanics targeting family visitors in southern New England.
• Roger Williams Park Zoo: Nonprofit regional zoo in Providence, RI of similar mid-scale size and mission, with comparable mix of admissions, memberships, education programs, and signature fundraising events serving a comparable New England family demographic.
• Squam Lakes Natural Science Center: New Hampshire nonprofit wildlife education center operating live animal exhibits (including non-releasable wildlife) and school/camp programming - closely comparable mission and operating model on a slightly different scale and in an adjacent New England market.
• Buttonwood Park Zoo: Small nonprofit zoo in New Bedford, MA operating a comparable community zoo model with education programs, memberships, and a similarly sized animal collection serving a regional New England audience.
• Ecotarium: Worcester, MA nature/education center combining indoor exhibits with outdoor animal habitats and school programming - directly comparable on the education-and-wildlife-experience mission inside the same Massachusetts market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tweet
• Facebookfacebook.com/sharer.php
• Pinterestpinterest.com/pin/create/button
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/forest-park-zoo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Forest Park Zoo