News and Stories

It’s Peak Bloom Time at the Cincinnati Zoo!

This week is a great time to see tulips, a free concert, and a new sustainable sculpture display

CINCINNATI, OH (April 11, 2023) – The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is bursting with color as 100,000 tulips reach peak bloom! Zoo Blooms, sponsored by Pepsi, draws gardening enthusiasts from all over the region each year to see what’s new and appreciate the spectacular botanical garden that’s spread throughout the Zoo’s eighty acres.

Photos | Sculptures video | Tulips video

“We take great pride in creating a stunning and memorable experience for our guests, and the tulip display is just one example of the many ways we do that,” said Cincinnati Zoo director Thane Maynard.  “I highly recommend coming to see the gardens this week.  This Thursday night will be a great opportunity for visitors to enjoy the flowers AND see a FREE concert!”

The Zoo’s Tunes & Blooms concert series kicked off last week and will continue every Thursday evening in April.  Kiely Connell will play on the Vine Street Village stage this week, and Michael Moore will be providing tunes in The Grove area.  The music starts at 6 p.m. (free entry starts at 5 p.m.)

“While admiring the blooms, be sure to look out for sustainable sculptures by Tom Tsuchyia and students from Mount St. Joseph (MSJ) that are here as part of our Earth Month celebration,” said Maynard.  “The Art & Ecosystems exhibition features works made of recycled and upcycled materials, and some of them are actual receptacles that visitors can use to drop cans and bottles that can be recycled!”

Visitors are encouraged to bring old CDs/DVDs and cases to drop into The Monkeys sculpture, located in the gazebo next to the elephant habitat.

“This exhibition is an affirmation of artists’ tremendous imagination to transform trash into beautiful and thought-provoking work- art and ecosystems indeed,” said Tsuchiya, who has created several Zoo sculptures, including statues of Fiona and Fritz, and teaches the sustainable sculpture class at MSJ.

MSJ student art can be found in World of the Insect, Manatee Springs, Birds of the World, and Mai Thai’s Market.  Tsuchiya’s giant sculptures, Atlas, Phoenix, and The Monkeys are in visible outdoor locations throughout the Zoo.

“We invite everyone to come out and experience the beauty of the tulip display and all that the Cincinnati Zoo has to offer,” said Maynard. “It’s a wonderful way to welcome spring and enjoy the beauty of Earth and nature.”

The Zoo opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m. Members get Early Entry and are welcome to enter the Zoo at 9 a.m. Memberships are on sale so join the Zoo at a discounted price and enjoy all the perks.

DID YOU KNOW…. You pay more than $10 less per ticket, on select days, when you purchase tickets online!  That’s a $40 savings for a family of 4!