Franklin Park Zoo
Franklin Park Zoo is a Boston-based, AZA-accredited zoological park operated by the non-profit Commonwealth Zoological Corporation under the Zoo New England brand, alongside Stone Zoo. It serves families, K-12 schools, event hosts, and conservation donors through admissions, memberships, private events, and a global conservation program.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersBoston, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Franklin Park Zoo does
Franklin Park Zoo is a Boston-based zoological attraction operated by the non-profit Commonwealth Zoological Corporation under the Zoo New England brand, alongside its sister property Stone Zoo in Stoneham, Massachusetts. The institution operates as an Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)-accredited facility featuring multiple habitats including African Penguin Coast, Tropical Forest, Gorilla Grove, and Giraffe Savannah, and recently attained arboretum accreditation in 2026. It serves Massachusetts families, K-12 school groups, corporate event clients, wedding and private-event hosts, and conservation donors through a diversified experience and education portfolio.
The zoo monetizes through a multi-stream revenue model spanning ticket admissions with dynamic Plan-Ahead Pricing, annual dual-zoo memberships, charitable donations, private event venue rentals (corporate events, weddings, birthday parties), gift cards, group reservations with K-12 school discounts, and a recurring Zoodopt animal-sponsorship program. Distribution is entirely direct-to-consumer via the zoonewengland.org website, walk-up admission, on-site membership sales, and event booking, supported by website content, Facebook pages, e-newsletter, and year-round special events programming (Boston Lights, Bonsai Show, Ales & Tails, America's 250th, etc.). Marketing targets top-of-funnel awareness through social and content channels with mid-funnel conversion via events and email.
Beyond the visitor experience business, the organization runs an extensive conservation program spanning roughly 20+ international field initiatives across Africa, Madagascar, Pakistan, Panama, Mexico, the Caribbean, and beyond, alongside local New England species protection (turtles, songbirds, native fish, pollinators, urban biodiversity). Operational technology is not specified and no proprietary platform, app, or AI capabilities are disclosed; the institution runs on standard web ticketing, CRM, and event-management infrastructure typical of an experiential non-profit.
Franklin Park Zoo firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Franklin Park Zoo
- Legal name
- Commonwealth Zoological Corporation
- Website
- https://franklinparkzoo.org
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Franklin Park Zoo is a Boston-based, AZA-accredited zoological park operated by the non-profit Commonwealth Zoological Corporation under the Zoo New England brand, alongside Stone Zoo. It serves families, K-12 schools, event hosts, and conservation donors through admissions, memberships, private events, and a global conservation program.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Franklin Park Zoo industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Zoological Park Operations
- NAICS
- Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Zoo & Aquarium Parks (Ticketed Wildlife Attractions) (THAJAEAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections) (THAJADAL), Educational & Edutainment Parks (Science/Discovery/Children’s Parks) (THAJAEAG)
Keywords
Where Franklin Park Zoo is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Franklin Park Zoo business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Admission fees for visitors with Plan-Ahead Pricing options for advance purchase
- Membership Program: Annual memberships offering free admission and benefits to both Franklin Park Zoo and Stone Zoo
- Donations: Charitable contributions supporting conservation efforts and zoo operations
- Private Events: Revenue from hosting birthday parties, corporate events, weddings, proposals, and walkathons at various zoo venues
- Gift Cards: Sale of gift cards for zoo admissions and experiences
- Group Reservations: Discounted admission for groups of 10 or more; free admission for Massachusetts school groups K-12
- Zoodopt Program: Adoption-style program allowing supporters to symbolically adopt animals
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Individual Admission Tickets |
| Subscription | Annual | Annual Membership |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels4 records
Franklin Park Zoo product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Franklin Park Zoo is a nonprofit zoological park that sells admission-based visitor access to animal habitats and exhibits (e.g., African Penguin Coast, Tropical Forest, Gorilla Grove, Giraffe Savannah). Revenue is driven by day tickets, annual memberships covering both Franklin Park Zoo and Stone Zoo, animal encounter experiences (giraffe encounters, behind-the-scenes tours), ZooCamp, school programs, private events (birthday parties, corporate events, weddings), gift cards, and a Zoodopt animal-sponsorship program.
Product overview
Franklin Park Zoo operates as a visitor-facing zoological park offering admission-based access to animal exhibits and habitats. The core product portfolio consists of zoo admission tickets and memberships providing access to the zoo and its animal collections. Additional revenue-generating products and services include animal experience programs (behind-the-scenes tours, giraffe encounters), ZooCamp summer programs, event hosting (birthday parties, corporate events, weddings), school group programs, and the Zoodopt animal sponsorship program. The zoo also maintains active conservation programs spanning local New England wildlife protection and international species conservation. The African Penguin Coast represents a recent major habitat investment. Memberships grant access to both Franklin Park Zoo and Stone Zoo properties.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Zoo Admission Tickets Day passes granting admission to Franklin Park Zoo, sold via plan-ahead pricing that allows visitors to select specific dates and times. Targeted at individuals, families, and tourists.
- Zoo Membership Annual membership subscription that provides free admission and additional benefits at both Franklin Park Zoo and Stone Zoo, with tiered levels available.
- Animal Experiences Premium interactive encounters offering behind-the-scenes tours and face-to-face experiences such as giraffe encounters, available to the general public.
- ZooCamp Summer camp programs for children providing educational and immersive zoo experiences.
- Birthday Parties Private birthday party event packages hosted at zoo venues, including Boston Lights themed offerings.
- Corporate Events Event hosting services for corporate gatherings at Franklin Park Zoo venues.
- Weddings and Private Venue Rentals Wedding ceremonies, receptions, proposals, walkathons, and other private event rentals held at zoo venues including Tropical Forest, Butterfly Oasis, and Canopy Courtyard.
- School Programs Curriculum-aligned educational programs for K-12 school groups, with free admission for Massachusetts K-12 school groups during the regular school year.
- Zoodopt Program Symbolic animal adoption program allowing supporters to sponsor specific animals and contribute to conservation funding.
- Gift Cards Retail gift cards redeemable toward zoo admissions and experiences at Franklin Park Zoo and Stone Zoo.
- Group Reservations Discounted admission reservations for groups of 10 or more visiting the zoo.
- Conservation Programs Conservation initiatives spanning local New England wildlife protection (turtles, songbirds, urban biodiversity) and international species conservation (Africa, Madagascar, Pakistan, Panama, Mexico, Caribbean).
- African Penguin Coast Exhibit Renovated habitat exhibit featuring African penguins, with underwater viewing areas, accessible to all zoo visitors.
Quantifiable outcome
- Free admission for Massachusetts K-12 school groups
Companies that use Franklin Park Zoo
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Franklin Park Zoo technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Franklin Park Zoo partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Zoo New England SponsorsminorZoo New England gratefully acknowledges the generous support of their sponsors, though no specific sponsor names are listed in the source material.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Franklin Park Zoo competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bronx Zoo (Wildlife Conservation Society): One of the largest urban zoos in the U.S. and a fellow AZA-accredited institution under a non-profit parent. Operates comparable exhibits, conservation programs, memberships, and special events that directly mirror Franklin Park Zoo's visitor-facing business model.
- Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden: Mid-sized AZA-accredited zoo combining animal exhibits with botanical collections, conservation programs, and event hosting. Closely comparable to Zoo New England in scale, dual mission (zoo + botanical), and education-driven positioning.
- Smithsonian's National Zoo: Major AZA-accredited urban zoo with deep conservation, education, and free-admission programming. Comparable visitor base scale and mission-driven non-profit operation, with similar school-group and event revenue mix.
- New England Aquarium: Boston-area non-profit zoological attraction sharing the same regional visitor market and overlapping member/education audiences. Closest direct competitor for family leisure visits in Greater Boston.
Emerging players
- Museum of Science, Boston: Major Boston-area non-profit educational attraction competing for family and school-group visits. Different primary category (science rather than zoological) but highly comparable audience, membership base, and group-reservation economics.
Regional players
- Roger Williams Park Zoo: AZA-accredited zoo in Providence, RI, serving the broader New England market. Comparable in size, mission, and product mix but in a separate geographic market with limited direct competition.
- Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo: Connecticut's only AZA-accredited zoo, similar in scale to Franklin Park Zoo and Stone Zoo. Comparable New England footprint, education programming, and conservation profile.
- Buttonwood Park Zoo: Small AZA-accredited zoo in New Bedford, MA, operating within the broader Massachusetts/New England market. Comparable in mission and programming but smaller in scale.
- Seneca Park Zoo (Rochester, NY): Mid-sized AZA-accredited zoo in the northeastern U.S. with similar exhibits, education programs, and event hosting. Comparable in scale and operational profile but outside the Boston market.
Broad incumbents
- San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance: Largest and most globally recognized AZA-accredited zoo organization. Operates at much greater scale with international conservation reach, but shares the same category, membership model, and donor-supported non-profit structure as Zoo New England.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Franklin Park Zoo social profiles
Digital presenceFranklin Park Zoo compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Franklin Park Zoo financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Franklin Park Zoo leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Franklin Park Zoo subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Franklin Park Zoo funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Franklin Park Zoo M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Franklin Park Zoo
What does Franklin Park Zoo do?
Franklin Park Zoo is a nonprofit zoological park that sells admission-based visitor access to animal habitats and exhibits (e.g., African Penguin Coast, Tropical Forest, Gorilla Grove, Giraffe Savannah). Revenue is driven by day tickets, annual memberships covering both Franklin Park Zoo and Stone Zoo, animal encounter experiences (giraffe encounters, behind-the-scenes tours), ZooCamp, school programs, private events (birthday parties, corporate events, weddings), gift cards, and a Zoodopt animal-sponsorship program.
Is Franklin Park Zoo a public or private company?
Franklin Park Zoo is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Franklin Park Zoo founded?
Franklin Park Zoo was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Franklin Park Zoo based?
Franklin Park Zoo is headquartered in Boston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Franklin Park Zoo make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are membership Program, donations, private Events, gift Cards, group Reservations and zoodopt Program.
Who are Franklin Park Zoo's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bronx Zoo (Wildlife Conservation Society), Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Smithsonian's National Zoo and New England Aquarium. Museum of Science, Boston is listed as an emerging player. Regional players are Roger Williams Park Zoo, Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo, Buttonwood Park Zoo and Seneca Park Zoo (Rochester, NY). San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Franklin Park Zoo have an API?
No public API is recorded for Franklin Park Zoo.
What industry is Franklin Park Zoo in?
Franklin Park Zoo's product category is Zoological Park Operations. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJAEAE, Zoo & Aquarium Parks (Ticketed Wildlife Attractions), with a secondary code of THAJADAL, Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections). Its NAICS code is 712130 and its SIC code is 7900.