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Boston Lights: A Lantern Experience

Franklin Park Zoo

August 14 - November 8

Aug. 14 – Sept. 30: Thursday – Monday, 6:00–10:30 p.m.
Oct. 1 – Nov. 8: Nightly, 5:00 – 10:30 p.m.

Experience the return of Boston Lights: A Lantern Experience at Franklin Park Zoo, a wildly popular annual summer and fall tradition.

Tickets coming soon. Join our email list to be the first to hear about Boston Lights updates and ticket announcements.

Prepare to be dazzled as you wander through this glowing immersive experience filled with vibrant lantern displays, interactive activities and Instagrammable moments at every turn.

Each year, Boston Lights draws inspiration from the beauty of nature, highlighting wildlife and habitats from around the globe through beautifully crafted lanterns rooted in ancient Chinese tradition and artistry. This year, experience lanterns inspired by coastal South Africa, featuring penguins, great white sharks and luminous flowers. See the majestic big cats that reside in habitats around the globe with lanterns featuring jaguars, lions, cheetahs, snow leopards and more. Experience the flora and fauna of the Grand Canyon – from Gila monsters and wolves to desert tortoises and an array of cacti and birds.
 
Enter a world where the ocean depths come alive in a burst of brilliant light. Stroll amongst lanterns of colorful tropical fish, sea horses, and unique plant life found underneath the ocean surface. Then, discover China’s rich heritage as you journey through luminous lantern tunnels inspired by the textures of bamboo and vibrant peacock feathers, each stretching nearly 100 feet long.

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Shining a Light on Biodiversity

Boston Lights illuminates the importance of conserving the incredible biodiversity on our planet. Guests will learn more about our commitment to conservation and ways to participate in wildlife and habitat preservation. Embracing sustainability, all our lanterns shine with energy-saving LED lights.

Lantern Creation

For over a thousand years, Chinese lantern-making has been more than mere decoration; it is a vibrant art form that embodies Chinese philosophy, symbolism, and communal celebration. The lanterns from Zigong, often called the "Lantern Capital of the World," represent the pinnacle of this craft. The skills required to create these lanterns - from complex framing and intricate knot-tying to delicate silk painting - have been preserved through a master-apprentice system for centuries.

We work with Tianyu Arts & Culture, Inc. on creating these larger-than-life displays at Boston Lights. Each and every lantern involves a labor of love (and skill!) to create. Artisans and skilled professionals work as a team to design full-scale displays, sew and glue colorful fabrics, hand-paint intricate details on each lantern, model and assemble steel frames for each lantern's structure, install thousands of LED light bulbs, and more.