Explore the Saint Louis Zoo in the evenings at the Chinese lantern festival Animals Aglow! Animals Aglow returns to illuminate the Saint Louis Zoo for the second year with dozens of new, towering lanterns and light displays.
Animals Aglow celebrates the culture, art, and beauty of traditional lantern festivals celebrated in China for centuries. During the nighttime festival’s first year in 2024, more than 131,000 guests bought tickets to enjoy larger-than-life lanterns in the shape of plants, wildlife and mythical creatures.
Animals Aglow is returning with nearly all-new lanterns this year. Guests will enjoy more than 60 glowing displays, nightly cultural performances, and specialty food and beverages available for purchase.
This year’s festival celebrates wildlife from three regions—Africa, South America, and the Arctic—and will feature a section dedicated to traditional Chinese lanterns and folklore.
Displays this year include:
Animals Aglow opens at. Now open nightly through May 11, 2025!
Tickets can be purchased online at stzoo.org/animalsaglow. Prices range from $16.95 to $23.95.
Tickets to Animals Aglow include admission to nightly Chinese cultural performances.
The event will feature traditional handicrafts and Asian food specials for purchase. Guests can also ride the Emerson Zooline Railroad, experience the Mary Ann Lee Conservation Carousel or try the Wild Explorer Virtual Reality Experience during Animals Aglow (separate fees).
Note: Animals will not be viewable, and no animal buildings will be open during this event.
Get tickets at stlzoo.org
Parking is free on both Zoo parking lots during the event. Lots are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. The Zoo will close to the public at 5 p.m. Doors reopen at 6:30 p.m. for the event.
Animals Aglow is sponsored by Wells Fargo, Washington University in St. Louis and Mid America Chevy Dealers.
Open Gym at Miss Kelly's Gym is an opportunity for any child to have supervised free play in the gym. They can work on existing skills, try something new, or simply play around. It is completely up to them! Open Gym is open to both members and non-members ages 12 and under.
Learn ways to nurture your baby's development and make new friends in a relaxed, supportive environment at Baby & Me, a free class offered at the St. Louis County Library. Baby & Me classes are for parents and caregivers with pre-walking infants ages 0-12 months.
Visit the James S. McDonnell Planetarium in Forest Park and see a star show to experience the largest artificial sky in the Western Hemisphere. Star shows are lead LIVE by one of the Planetarium's educators, creating a new and tailored experience for every audience.
At this free art program for ages 3-6 the focus is on the process of making art rather than the finished product. Dress to get messy!
Science Tots is designed for children ages 18 to 36 months. The class provides opportunities to support brain development and learning. Toddlers and their grown-ups will explore STEM topics through songs, stories, hands-on exploration and play.
