The Zoo & the Community

The Community Partnership Office acts as a liaison between Zoo New England and the surrounding community. Community partnership and outreach are vital to the success of spreading our mission. Through our community programs, we engage members of the community -- particularly children, youth and adults from underserved communities -- in forming life-long connections with nature.

Community Partnerships and Collaborations

Zoo New England collaborates with local organizations to share knowledge and resources that positively impact our community. The Zoo provides a number of resources to community partners, which may include access to meeting spaces, free admission, donation passes and youth program opportunities.

Co-Designing Conservation With (not For) our Neighbors

Beginning in summer 2021, Franklin Park Zoo uses a co-design approach to engage our closest neighbors. The approach is guided by asset-based program design. It’s about working with existing strengths and collaborating to build on them.

We're partnering with Antioch University on a strategic 3-year process to engage our neighbors in the co-design of conservation and educational programming. In collaboration with neighbors and local organizations in Dorchester, Roxbury, Mattapan and Jamaica Plain, we seek to co-develop programs that build on existing neighborhood assets to meet current community needs and aspirations. This co-design process aims to equitably integrate residents and potential professional collaborators into program design and increase the justice, sustainability, and effectiveness of our programing efforts. True stakeholder engagement and collaborative creation are essential components of this inclusive design process.

For more information about this initiative, Kayla Cranston at kcranston@antioch.edu

Community Pass Program

Our Community Pass Program (CPP) extends a free group reservation to local non-profit organizations who meet certain criteria.

Group Criteria

To qualify for the CPP, your organization must be a non-profit organization that supports both our mission and community advancement. Admission to CPP is granted based primarily on economic need and location. Admission is not guaranteed and is granted on a first come, first served basis throughout the year. Each organization may only submit one request every 12 months. Additionally, the organization is required to submit its tax-exempt documentation upon submission of the application for verification purposes.

Apply Online

ConnectorCare Card Benefits

ConnectorCare cardholders receive general admission for $11 per person, including a $1 transaction fee for each ticket, for up to four people at both Franklin Park Zoo and Stone Zoo. Please use promo code CARE when purchasing tickets to receive this admission price. Please be ready to present your card at the Admissions booth upon arrival. Offer is only valid for Massachusetts residents through Dec. 31, 2024.

If you have any questions, please call 617-989-2076 and our staff will be happy to assist you.

Purchase Franklin Park Zoo Tickets Purchase Stone Zoo Tickets

We are proud to participate in the Card to Culture program, a collaboration between Mass Cultural Council and the Department of Transitional Assistance, Massachusetts Health Connector, and Women, Infants & Children (WIC) Nutrition Program, by broadening accessibility to cultural programming. See the full list of participating organizations offering EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare discounts.

Donations of Passes for Charitable Causes

We’re happy to consider donating to your fundraising efforts. Eligible organizations must be non-profit and may only receive one donation every 12 months. Zoo New England does not accept requests from individuals. We receive many donation requests throughout the year, and we regret that it’s not possible to fulfill every request. To be considered, please fill out our donation request form at least two months in advance.

EBT and WIC Benefits

Discounted General Admission Tickets

Massachusetts EBT and WIC cardholders receive general daytime admission for $5 per person, for up to four people. Offer is valid for Massachusetts residents through Dec. 31, 2024.

Online Tickets: To receive the EBT/WIC discount for online purchases, you will need to verify your eligibility prior to purchasing your tickets. You will be prompted to log into or create an account with ID.Me to verify your identity and EBT/WIC affiliation. For help troubleshooting the Id.me application, please visit the ID.me Help Center.

Purchase Discounted EBT/WIC Tickets

Gate Tickets: If purchasing tickets at the gate, please be ready to present your card at the Admissions booth upon arrival.

Discounted Family Membership

For $40, EBT and WIC cardholders can become Family Level members and enjoy free general daytime admission to Franklin Park Zoo and Stone Zoo year-round. This membership includes two named adult cardholders and up to four children. Memberships are intended for one household, and are non-refundable and non-transferrable. As a Zoo New England member, you also receive discounts on food and gift purchases, party rentals, education programs, invites to members-only events and exhibit previews.

Purchase Discounted EBT/WIC Membership

To receive the EBT/WIC discount, you will need to verify your eligibility prior to purchasing your membership. You will be prompted to log into or create an account with ID.Me to verify your identity and EBT/WIC affiliation. For help troubleshooting the Id.me application, please visit the ID.me Help Center.

Please Note:

Offer is only valid for Massachusetts residents through Dec. 31, 2024.
P-EBT cards are not eligible for this discount.
You may also purchase an EBT/WIC Membership at our admissions gates any time we're open.

ZooLights and Boston Lights

We offer discounted tickets for EBT/WIC cardholders at our annual events, ZooLights at Stone Zoo, and Boston Lights at Franklin Park Zoo.

Contact Us

Please call 617-989-2076 with any questions, and our staff will be happy to assist you.

Event Partnerships

Community celebrations play a major role in our outreach initiatives, and we welcome partnerships with local organizations to reach new audiences. Check out our upcoming events or contact us by email at or call 781-438-9503 to discuss new event partnerships.

Library Pass Program

Save over 80% off regular ticket prices!

Our Library Pass Program provides discounted, year-round admission for up to six guests to both Franklin Park Zoo and Stone Zoo.

$400 Explorer Pass: Includes 200 discounted tickets.
$250 Voyager Pass: Includes 100 discounted tickets.
Children under 2 always receive free admission.
Additional guests beyond those discounted under the pass pay full admission rates.
Give out as many or as few ticket passes at a time as you like.
You can order more than one book at a time. Reorder when you run out!
Please allow two to three weeks for processing.

Full details and application

Organization Pass Memberships

Organization Pass memberships are designed to offer schools, camps, daycares and community-oriented non-profit organizations the opportunity to enjoy frequent zoo visits at substantial savings! Learn more.