FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is covered by a Family Membership?

Family and higher level memberships (Zookeeper, Curator and Life memberships) provide free admission to two adults who live in the same home and to the minor children (younger than 18) who live in this household, too. Grandparents can also purchase Family and higher level Memberships, too, and can use the memberships to gain free admission for all of their minor grandchildren (17 years old and younger). Grandchildren do NOT have to live with their grandparents to be covered.

Does a Family Membership cover both Minor Children and Grandchildren?

No. Individuals who have both children and grandchildren younger than 18 can cover either their children OR their grandchildren with a membership but CANNOT include both grandchildren and children on their memberships.

Are children who are attending college covered by the membership if they are older than 17?

No. Even if a non-minor child lives with you, that child is NOT covered by a Family Membership. You can however, cover that child’s admission by purchasing a Family-Plus membership, which allows you to bring a guest in free each time you visit. Or, you can obtain an Individual Membership to cover a child that is older than 17.

Can any two adults living in the same household purchase a Family Membership?

Yes, individuals do not have to be related or married to purchase a Family Membership. The only requirement is that the two individuals live in the same home.

Can a membership card be loaned to a nanny, friend, grandparent or other relative so that person can bring a member’s child or children to the Zoo?

The children covered by a Family Membership can visit without either of the adults named on the card but a Family Membership card CANNOT be shared with another adult.  Only the adults named on the card can use a membership card to gain free admission. (To be admitted, adults must verify their idenity with a picture identification card.)

If you want free admission for a nanny or other adult who is bringing your child or children to the Zoo, you can purchase a Family-Plus Membership and, as long as that adult is visiting with your child or children, the adult will be admitted free.

The “plus” component of the membership entitles a member to bring a guest in free each time the member visits the N.C. Zoo*. All "plus" guests must enter through the Zoo Society’s Members Only, Express Entry ticket booths. These booths are on the far left when you face either Zoo entrance.

How many children does a Family Membership cover? 

Your N.C. Zoo Society membership grants free admission to the N.C. Zoo for all of the children who live in your home and who are not yet 18.  

Many reciprocating institutions do NOT extend free admission to more than two children. So, if you visit another institution with your membership card, be prepared to pay admission for additional children.

Can you loan an Individual or a Family Membership to a friend or relative?

No. Memberships are non-transferable.

Is an annual membership valid from January through December or for a year from the  time of purchase?

The membership is valid for a full 12 months.

Questions about Membership Cards

How long will it take to receive a membership card?

We normally mail membership cards out within 3 to 5 business days. However, you can use your receipt — the pink copy from a Zoo purchase or a print out of the e-mail we send  when you purchase on-line—as proof of your membership while you are waiting for your card to arrive.

How do you replace a lost card?

If you want to replace a lost membership card, there are several actions that you can take.
There is a $5 fee for replacing an annual membership card and a $10 fee for replacing a life-membership card.

• You can call the Society office toll free during regular business hours (888-244-3736) and use a charge card to pay for a new card that we will mail to you.

•  You can wait until your next visit and pay the $5 fee when you enter. We will then mail a new card to you.

•  You can mail your membership information and your payment to the Zoo Society 44-03 Zoo Parkway; Asheboro, NC; 27205 and we will mail a replacement card to you.

What if you don’t want to replace a lost card?

If you do not want to replace the card, that is O.K., too. You can still visit the N.C. Zoo without paying admission for as long as your membership is valid. All you need do is to show a picture identification card to the person working in either of the N.C. Zoo Society's members-only, express entry ticket booths.

Member booths always sit on the far left when you face a N.C. Zoo entrance. 

These booths are staffed whenever the N.C. Zoo is open.

The person working in the booth can verify the status of your membership in a database that is available to N.C. Zoo Society employees. As long as your membership is valid, you will be admitted to the N.C. Zoo without charge.

How can you visit a reciprocating zoo or aquarium if you have lost your card?

If you want to visit a reciprocating zoo or aquarium without replacing your card, you will need to call or e-mail us before you visit that institution. We will prepare that institution for your visit by FAXing an official verification of your membership status.

If you plan to visit a reciprocating institution on a weekend, please notify us the week before your visit to ensure that someone is available in our business office to verify your membership and send the FAX.  Just call or e-mail us before 4 p.m. on Friday to ensure that we can help you.

Questions About Reciprocating Institutions

What are reciprocating institutions?

More than 150 zoos and aquariums around North America reciprocate with each other by granting free or reduced admission to each other’s members.  The institutions that reciprocate do so voluntarily and are free to leave or join the partnership at any time. These institutions are listed here, on our Web page, and are also free to set their own rules, which change from institution to institution.

As a member of the N.C. Zoo Society, you qualify for reduced or free admission to these partner institutions, and we do our best to keep the list current.

Sometimes, though, institutions make changes that we don’t hear about. Consequently, our Web site includes phone numbers for every institution on the list. We ask that you always call ahead to verify that the zoo or aquarium you want to visit still reciprocates with us.

When you call, ask if that institution has any specific restrictions for visitors from reciprocating institutions. For example, some organization will admit only two adults and two children on a Family Membership (even if we admit more children.)  And, some institutions grant our members a discount on admission fees but do not grant free admission.  

No reciprocating institutions honor the "plus" part of N.C. Zoo Society memberships.  If you have a family plus membership here, you can bring a guest in free each time you visit us, but you will NOT be able to take a guest in free at a reciprocating institution.

Where can you see a list of the zoos and aquariums that reciprocate with the North Carolina Zoo Society?

This Web page lists participating reciprocal institutions. This list changes unpredictably and periodically because zoos volunteer to participate and can withdraw at any time.

Always call before you visit.

How can you speak with someone about my membership?

You can call the N.C. Zoo Society between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, to ask questions or request information about our membership programs.  The phone number is 336-879-7273.  Or e-mail us using the Web site's Contact Form or by sending an e-mail to zoomember@nczoo.com.

Questions About the Web Store

Can you combine several discounts (a coupon from the mail or a Corporate discount) to lower the cost of a membership purchase?

No, the Zoo Society honors only one discount per purchase, so pick the best one.

Can you get a Senior Discount when you purchase your membership on the Web site?

Sorry, but the site is not able to offer senior discounts over the Web.  Call us toll free if you are 62 or older (888-244-3736) and our staff will provide you with the discount.

What do you do if you experience a problem with a Web order?

       E-mail jparker@nczoo.com and explain your problem so that we can fix it.

How can I communicate with a person working for the Zoo Society?

Monday – Friday, just give us a call. The Zoo is open every day but Christmas day, but the Zoo Society offices close on weekends and major holidays.

We answer the phone (usually before it rings twice!) between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Monday - Friday.  

You can also use the Zoo Society's Web page contact form to communicate with us.  We answer these e-mails between 7 a.m. and  9 p.m. on weekdays.  We also respond, at a somewhat slower pace, to e-mails sent on the weekend. Weekend e-mails are processed from a remote location, so the person responding to them cannot verify membership status information.

* Reciprocating Institutions do NOT honor the “plus” component of our memberships and will NOT extend free or discounted admission to non-members.

If your specific question has not been answered, please use our Contact Form to ask it.  Or give us a call during the week at 336-879-7250.

Last modified 12/03/2007 02:55pm.