2024 Zoo Gifting Guide

The holidays can be beautiful, fun, and festive—but getting the perfect gifts for the important people in your life can also give you anxiety and mar the sweetness of the season. If you have someone on your list who loves animals and Lincoln Park Zoo, though, we can help make your shopping easy!

Purchasing a gift from the zoo also helps you give back. All proceeds go toward caring for animals here and support conservation efforts around the world.

Check out the ZooLights 30th Anniversary Collection!

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of ZooLights Presented by ComEd and Invesco QQQ, we’re rolling out a very special merch collection. It includes some limited time-only exclusives, so you won’t want to wait to grab your favorite item.

Limited Edition 30 Years of ZooLights Soft and Cozy Blanket

This item will be available only during ZooLights at the Gift Shop, while supplies last! Don’t wait on this colorful, warm, super-exclusive item featuring gorgeous anniversary art—or you may miss out.

Limited Edition ZooLights Zebra Sweatshirt

Colorfully candy-striped zebras stand front and center on this adorable gray sweatshirt, which says “Stand out from the herd” and lets you do so in style whether you’re enjoying the zoo or hanging out around town. Thirty years of ZooLights never looked better!

Limited Edition ZooLights Zebra Tumbler

Remember your visit to ZooLights and also stay hydrated with this 20-ounce stainless steel tumbler in dark green, featuring the candy-striped zebras from a popular light display and the “Stand out from the herd” sentiment.

2024 Special Zoo Ornaments

Every year, the Gift Shop offers special collectible ornaments that provide your holiday decor with a touch of Lincoln Park Zoo. This year’s options include a ball ornament with a 360-degree illustration of primates in the wild.

Or, choose penguins, lions, and polar bears to adorn your tree.

Give the Gift of Membership

If experiential gifts are more your thing, a membership at Lincoln Park Zoo is the gift that gives back—for a whole year! Your recipient receives discounts on food, Gift Shop purchases, parking, and ZooLights tickets. And your gift funds the free admission, conservation, and animal care initiatives at Lincoln Park Zoo year-round.

Find A Unique Item at the Gift Shop!

Whether your gift recipient prefers mugs, books, stickers, clothing, animal plushes, toys, or BeeLove honey products, you can find something at the zoo’s Gift Shop, located on Main Mall. Do a little shopping the next time you’re on zoo grounds to grab stocking stuffers and animal-themed presents for the zoo lover in your life! One item that’s going to go fast this year is a plush lion backpack, perfect your own young cub or anyone who wants to remember their visit to the prides at Pepper Family Wildlife Center.

Adopt an Animal

Animals depend on people too! That’s why Lincoln Park Zoo’s Adopt program lets you symbolically adopt a zoo resident and support its care. You can choose from a selection of available animals and even get a plush version of that animal to cuddle. If you’re ordering for delivery, make sure you do so by December 9 so packages arrive before the holidays.

Provide for the Animals Through the Wish List

One of the best things about the holiday season is giving to others. If you’ve finished with all the folks on your own list, how about throwing a little love to your animal friends at Lincoln Park Zoo? The Wish List offers an opportunity for you to help provide for the plants and animals in our care.

For example, Horticulture might ask for mulch to help oak trees flourish. Or our animal keepers may ask for protein powder to supplement the crickets that insectivores eat. More often, though, you’d be providing enrichment—like sleeping material, puzzle feeders, or nutritious treats for apes, armadillos, giraffes, and other animals. Pick your favorite and buy a share to help out! Many Wish List items cost less than $10 per share. The item you purchase benefits the animals directly.

Come to ZooLights!

Over the course of three decades, ZooLights has become a storied Chicago tradition. It offers a mix of new and nostalgic displays, with an amazing spectacle featuring music on the South Lawn. In 2024, more than 3 million lights will illuminate the grounds. At just $7–$10 per person (and free on select Mondays), it’s a great value for families looking for something to do that won’t break the bank—but will make the season so much more fun and festive.

If you haven’t gotten your tickets yet, buy now, as popular nights are going fast.