Memphis Zoo

Memphis Zoo is a zoological park in Overton Park on the eastern side of the city in Tennessee. The grounds spread across a wooded area with winding paths, ponds, and themed sections for different animal groups.

The park opened its gates in April 1906 and began as a modest facility with a few native animals. Over the decades, the collection grew, and the grounds expanded with new enclosures and pavilions.

The grounds divide into geographic regions that represent habitats from Africa, Asia, and South America. Visitors walk through landscaped areas where elephants, pandas, and penguins live in settings shaped to resemble their native surroundings.

The park sits on Prentiss Place on the western edge of Overton Park and can be reached through several entrances. The pathways are mostly paved and wide enough for strollers, and shaded areas offer relief from the sun during warmer months.

The facility has housed a giant panda from China since the early 2000s, one of only a few in the United States. The penguin exhibit uses an artificial climate system to maintain cool temperatures during the hot summer months in Tennessee.

Location: Memphis

Inception: April 1906

Address: Prentiss Place

Website: http://memphiszoo.org

GPS coordinates: 35.15000,-89.99430

Latest update: December 20, 2025 12:35