Bonobo exhibit hours at Cincinnati Zoo

November 25, 2012 8:38 AM

What time does the Cincinnati Zoo bonobo exhibit close?

I'm visiting relatives in Ohio, and I'd like to see the bonobos at the Cincinnati Zoo. The zoo is three hours from me, and I'd like to be sure I'll actually be able to see them.

Unfortunately, I can't find hours posted for individual exhibits, and calling the zoo gets an endless menu of options and no apparent way to talk to a human. Hivemind, any ideas for remotely finding this out? Can someone find this answer in reviews or questions asked online?

I leave for home (out of state) again today, so I would really like to know ASAP. Any ideas are appreciated.

Thank you!

posted by lemoncakeisalie to Travel & Transportation around Cincinnati, OH (7 answers total)

I live in Cincinnati and am a member of the zoo. The exhibits usually close at the same time the zoo closes. I don't remember the Bonobo enclosure being "special" in any way, like the Children's Zoo, which closes earlier than the Zoo's closing time. Looking at the map, the Bonobos are in the Jungle Trails section, so I think you'll be safe going with the Zoo's regular hours, which are actually extended right now thanks to the Festival of Lights.

All that said, there is no guarantee that you'll see them. They might be in their enclosure or they might be inside; it's awfully cold right now and if they don't want to come out, they won't. But they should be on exhibit during the Zoo's hours.

Good luck!
posted by cooker girl at 8:50 AM on November 25, 2012

The endless menu of phone options probably includes both the hours of the exhibit and the opportunity to talk to a person--I wouldn't give up on it just yet.
posted by box at 8:54 AM on November 25, 2012

Oh, and: today the zoo closes at 10 pm.
posted by cooker girl at 9:08 AM on November 25, 2012

Response by poster: Is the Jungle Trails exhibit partially inside? A friend of a friend said it was inside (i.e. heated) but they had a place to get away from the people.
posted by lemoncakeisalie at 9:16 AM on November 25, 2012

Part of it is inside but not all of it. And I was wrong about the closing hour; it's at 9, not 10. Sorry. I thought today was Saturday. Wishful thinking.
posted by cooker girl at 2:12 PM on November 25, 2012

And jeez, I'm just not giving you the right information at all, I fear. The Festival of Lights is an additional cost to the Zoo's admission. So the Zoo closes at 5:00 but if you have FoL tickets, you can stay til 9:00.
posted by cooker girl at 2:14 PM on November 25, 2012

Response by poster: The exhibit didn't close until after five! Not sure when it closed, but I was there for an hour. :)

Thanks!
posted by lemoncakeisalie at 10:09 PM on December 26, 2012