Blank Park Zoo

Blank Park Zoo grew from a modest municipal animal park into the state's only zoo accredited by the national Association of Zoos and Aquariums, a standard that reflects its care for animals, its conservation work, and its education programs. The zoo takes its name from the Blank family, longtime Des Moines philanthropists whose support helped it grow.

For many Iowa children, Blank Park Zoo is the place where they first meet a lion, a giraffe, or a shark face to face. That role, as central Iowa's window onto the wider animal world, shapes everything the zoo does, from its family programming to its work in wildlife conservation and species survival efforts.

The zoo's signature area recreates the African plains, with giraffes, zebras, rhinos, and lions ranging across open habitats meant to evoke the savanna. Elsewhere the paths lead to primates, kangaroos and other Australian animals, and creatures of the Americas, so a single loop takes visitors around much of the globe.

Indoors, a tropical aquarium holds sharks, rays, and a colorful coral reef, a surprising slice of ocean life in landlocked Iowa. The walk-through aviary lets visitors stand among free-flying birds, and seasonal features and animal encounters give children hands-on moments with the collection.

As an accredited institution, Blank Park Zoo takes part in coordinated conservation programs that help sustain populations of threatened species, and it supports field conservation efforts around the world. Much of its work is educational, teaching Iowa families about wildlife, habitats, and the choices that affect animals both far away and close to home.

The zoo also highlights the natural world of the Midwest itself, reminding visitors that conservation begins in their own state. Programs and exhibits connect the exotic animals on display to broader lessons about protecting habitat, water, and the diversity of life, making a fun day out also a chance to learn.

The zoo sits within Des Moines, Iowa's capital, a city on the rivers at the center of the state and the ancestral homeland of the Ioway, for whom the state is named, along with the Meskwaki and Sauk peoples who lived and traveled across central Iowa. Their descendants remain part of Iowa today, with the Meskwaki owning their Settlement to the northeast near Tama.

Des Moines makes a natural base for exploring central Iowa, with the gold-domed State Capitol, the Pappajohn Sculpture Park, the Salisbury House, and Living History Farms all within easy reach. Blank Park Zoo fits neatly into a family itinerary of the capital's parks and cultural sites, a green and lively stop in the middle of the state.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.