Peoria Zoo at Glen Oak Park

What Peoria Zoo at Glen Oak Park does

Peoria Zoo at Glen Oak Park is an AZA-accredited zoological institution owned and operated by the Peoria Park District, a public government entity in Peoria, Illinois. The single-site zoo operates at 2320 N. Prospect Rd. within Glen Oak Park, open daily 10am-5pm with extended Friday hours to 8pm during summer, and features eight core habitat exhibits including the flagship Africa! exhibit (opened 2009), Asian Trail, Australia Walk-About, Conservation Center, Tropics Building, and Contact Barn. It also houses interactive experiences such as the Bleat Retreat goat encounter, on-site dining at Zambezi River Lodge (seating up to 200), and a Safari Gift Shop.

The business model combines transactional and recurring revenue streams: daily general admission, annual memberships, premium ticketed experiences (e.g., Brunch with the Giraffes at $100/person), venue rentals for weddings and corporate events, three-tier birthday party packages, education programs (summer camps priced $145-$280, homeschool classes at $8-$16), school field trips, and donations/Adopt-An-Animal packages. The Peoria Zoological Society, a 501(c)(3) formed in 1997, leads fundraising and has raised over $27 million for the Africa! capital campaign while supporting operations through events such as Zootini (600+ attendees) and ZooBrew (300+ attendees).

Distribution is exclusively direct-to-consumer at the physical site, with marketing executed through the peoriazoo.org website, email newsletters, organic social media, and recurring on-site programming (FriYay summer events, Wild Encounters: Second Saturdays). Customer segments span families, schools, scouts, youth development programs, event clients, and conservation donors. The zoo participates in AZA Species Survival Plans for African Lion, Amur Tiger, Cotton-top Tamarin and others, and runs a multi-state Alligator Snapping Turtle recovery partnership with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Illinois Natural History Survey, St. Louis Zoo, and partner agencies in Oklahoma and Louisiana; 97 turtles have been released to Illinois watersheds since 2009. The operation is co-located with the Peoria PlayHouse Children's Museum and Luthy Botanical Garden under the Peoria Park District umbrella, forming an integrated family destination.

Name

Peoria Zoo at Glen Oak Park

Legal name

Peoria Park District

Website

https://peoriazoo.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Peoria Zoo at Glen Oak Park is an AZA-accredited zoological park owned by the Peoria Park District in Peoria, Illinois, operating a single-site zoo with eight habitat exhibits, education programs, event rentals, and conservation partnerships serving families, schools, and event clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Zoological Park Services

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

Zoo & Aquarium Parks (Ticketed Wildlife Attractions) (THAJAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections) (THAJADAL), Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation Parks & Reserves (Visitor Operations) (THAAAAAG)

Keywords

• Zoological park services
• Wildlife conservation programs
• Animal education programs
• Event venue rentals
• Membership admissions

Headquarters

HQ city

Peoria

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. General Admission: Daily admission fees for individual visitors and families visiting the zoo.
2. Memberships: Annual membership passes offering unlimited admission, discounts, and exclusive member events.
3. Birthday Party Packages: Three-tier party packages ranging from basic admission packages to deluxe hosted events with animal encounters.
4. Wedding and Event Rentals: Venue rentals including Zambezi River Lodge, Rondoval, and private rooms for weddings, corporate events, and celebrations.
5. Premium Experiences: Special ticketed events including Brunch with the Giraffes ($100/person), behind-the-scenes tours, and conservation day activities.
6. Education Programs: Summer camps ($145-$280), homeschool classes ($8-$16), scout programs, and group tours.
7. Donations and Conservation Fund: Tax-deductible donations to Mission Fund and Conservation Fund supporting zoo operations and wildlife preservation efforts.
8. Adopt-An-Animal Program: Animal adoption packages supporting daily animal care with various benefit tiers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Peoria Zoo at Glen Oak Park is an AZA-accredited zoological park in Peoria, Illinois that operates daily visitor admissions to multiple animal exhibits and habitats. Its core offerings include walk-in gate admissions, annual memberships, education and camp programs, private and corporate event venue rentals, an Adopt-An-Animal symbolic adoption program, and AZA-affiliated conservation initiatives including local Alligator Snapping Turtle reintroduction.

Product overview

Peoria Zoo at Glen Oak Park is a single-site zoological park offering visitor experiences centered around animal exhibits and conservation. The core offering consists of multiple habitat exhibits (Africa!, Asian Trail, Australia Walk-About, Tropics Building, Contact Barn with Bleat Retreat) where visitors can view animals and participate in interactive experiences. Supporting services include education programs (camps, school programs, Zoomobile outreach, Zoo Snooze overnight experiences), event venue rentals (weddings, birthdays, corporate events at Zambezi River Lodge and other venues), an Adopt-An-Animal program, volunteer opportunities, and conservation initiatives through AZA SAFE and Species Survival Plans. The zoo also operates retail (Safari Gift Shop) and dining (Zambezi River Lodge) facilities, with tickets, memberships, and donations providing revenue streams.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Zoo Exhibits and Admissions Daily walk-in access to multiple animal habitats including Africa!, Asian Trail, Australia Walk-About, Conservation Center, Tropics Building, and Contact Barn with general admission tickets.
• Annual Memberships Annual recurring membership passes sold through the Peoria Zoological Society, providing unlimited admission, discounts, and member-exclusive events.
• Birthday Party Packages
• Wedding and Event Venue Rentals
• Premium Experiences (Brunch with the Giraffes)
• Summer Camps and Homeschool Classes
• Adopt-An-Animal Program
• Donations and Conservation Giving
• Zambezi River Lodge and Safari Gift Shop
• Zoomobile Outreach
• Zoo Snooze Overnight Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 97 Alligator Snapping Turtles reintroduced to Illinois wild since 2009
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Cooperative partnership for Alligator Snapping Turtle reintroduction program. Peoria Zoo partnered with IDNR in 2008 to reintroduce the endangered turtle to Illinois watersheds. The partnership includes multi-state collaboration with Oklahoma and Louisiana through a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service competitive State Wildlife Grant.
• Illinois Natural History SurveycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Conducts telemetry studies for released Alligator Snapping Turtles and provides transmitters and dataloggers for the multi-state conservation program.
• Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAZA accreditation and SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) program participation. Peoria Zoo is a cooperating member of AZA SAFE Species Survival Plan (SSP) for multiple species including African Lion, Amur Tiger, Cotton-top Tamarin, and others.
• University of Illinois School of Veterinary MedicineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Turtle Recovery Plan for Alligator Snapping Turtle conservation efforts.
• St. Louis ZoominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides hatchlings for Operation Endangered Species program where Illinois schools raise turtles until large enough for release.
• Peoria Zoological SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit organization founded in 1997 dedicated to supporting and realizing the vision for Peoria Zoo. Led Africa! fundraising campaign raising over $27 million and continues to support zoo expansion and programs.
• Missouri State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the multi-state Turtle Recovery Plan for Alligator Snapping Turtle conservation.
• Tulsa ZoominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the multi-state Turtle Recovery Plan for Alligator Snapping Turtle conservation.
• Oklahoma Department of Wildlife ConservationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the multi-state Alligator Snapping Turtle recovery program facilitated permits for turtle transport.
• University of Louisiana at MonroeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the multi-state Alligator Snapping Turtle recovery program.
• Louisiana Department of Wildlife and FisheriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the multi-state Alligator Snapping Turtle recovery program.
• Tiger Conservation CampaigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the conservation organizations supported by Peoria Zoo through donations and AZA SAFE programs.
• Turtle Survival AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation organization supported through zoo donations and Alligator Snapping Turtle recovery efforts.
• International Rhino FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation organization supported through zoo donations and conservation fund.
• Peoria PlayHouse Children's MuseumcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint programming partner for FriYay at Glen Oak Park summer events and Wild Encounters: Second Saturdays program. Co-located at Glen Oak Park for combined family entertainment experiences.
• Junior League of PeoriaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Peoria Zoological Society and Peoria Park District in the Power of Play Campaign to expand Peoria Zoo and create the Peoria PlayHouse Children's Museum.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Scovill Zoo: Mid-sized zoo in Decatur, Illinois offering education programs, events, and conservation focus in a similar Illinois regional market — directly comparable in scale and programming.
• Lincoln Park Zoo: Free-admission AZA-accredited zoo in Chicago with similar exhibit, education, and event programming models; directly comparable in audience and operating structure despite larger scale.
• Brookfield Zoo (Chicago Zoological Society): Major AZA-accredited zoological park in the Chicago area offering similar exhibits, education programs, event rentals, and membership tiers — the largest comparable Illinois zoo and a benchmark for scale.
• St. Louis Zoo: AZA-accredited zoo already partnered with Peoria Zoo on the Alligator Snapping Turtle program; comparable in conservation programs, education offerings, and visitor experience mix.
• Miller Park Zoo: Mid-sized Illinois zoo in Bloomington offering education programs and events with comparable operating structure and scale to Peoria Zoo.
• Cosley Zoo: Smaller Illinois zoo in Wheaton with comparable education, events, and conservation offerings — closest direct size and operating model peer to Peoria Zoo.
• Niabi Zoo: Regional zoo in Coal Valley, Illinois with similar education, camps, and event offerings; directly comparable size and Midwestern audience.

Broad incumbents

• Indianapolis Zoo: Larger AZA-accredited Midwestern zoo with premium experiences, venue rentals, and conservation programs; broader portfolio and significantly larger scale make it a broad incumbent benchmark.
• Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden: Major AZA-accredited zoo with extensive conservation, education, event, and botanical programs; comparable operating pillars at a much larger scale.

Emerging players

• Peoria PlayHouse Children's Museum: Co-located GTM partner and adjacent family-entertainment operator within Glen Oak Park; competes for the same family-day-out wallet share and jointly programs FriYay and Wild Encounters events.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/peoria-zoo-at-glen-oak-park

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 Peoria Zoo at Glen Oak Park