3001 Connecticut Avenue NW
Washington DC, DC , 20008

Website

The Smithsonian's National Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in the United States, and as part of the Smithsonian Institution, does not charge admission. It has two locations, one open to the public and one open for research only.
The first is open to the public and is a 163-acre urban park located in northwest Washington, D.C. that is 20 minutes from the National Mall by Metro to the Woodley Park station, or downhill walk from the Cleveland Park station.
The other campus is a non-public 3,200-acre facility called the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) in Front Royal, Virginia. On this land there are 180 species of trees, 850 species of woody shrubs and herbaceous plants, and 40 species of grasses. There are also 36 different species of bamboo. The SCBI is devoted to training wildlife professionals in conservation biology and to propagating rare species through natural means and assisted reproduction.

Altogether, the two facilities contain 1,800 animals of 300 different species. About one-fifth of them are endangered or threatened. Most species are on exhibit at the zoo's Rock Creek Park campus. The best known residents are the Giant Pandas, but the zoo is also home to birds, Great Apes, big cats, Asian Elephants, insects, amphibians, reptiles, aquatic animals, small mammals and many more.

The Zoo has no admission fee .
But, you have to pay to park. $10 for the first hour, $15 for 1-3 hours or $20 for 3+ hours. (F.O.N.Z. members park free and the Metro runs within walking distance to the Zoo). ($30 flat parkinng rate as of 9/21)

7/15: 7 new Pennyman machines have been installed here. One is an 8 penny machine and the other 6 are 4 penny hand cranks.

Machine 11 (2015/ 8 penny machine!!): (#1 on machine). Designs are 1 for $1; or all 8 for $5. Takes cash or credit cards and supplies the pennies (Zinc). Is in the Visitor Center along with the first token machine, Designs are:
1) Eagle
2) Giant Panda standing facing left
3) Giant Panda laying down facing forward
4) Lion
5) Buffalo
6) Wolf
7) Gorilla
8) Snapping Turtle

Machine 12 (2015) (#2 on machine) is located near the entrance to the Panda House. Designs are:
1) 'Bao Bao', Giant Panda sitting
2) Giant Panda laying down
3) Cobra Snake
4) Elephant

Machine 13 (2019) (#3 on machine) is located by the bathroom near the Panda Cafe. Designs are:
1) Top of Giant Panda facing forward
2) Giant Panda walking left
3) Mountain Lion
4) Komodo Dragon

Machine 14 (2015) (#4 on machine) is located by the Panda cafe outside the gift shop. Designs are:
1) Giant Panda and Baby
2) Giant Panda laying Ion its back
3) Seal
4) Tiger

Machine 15: (2015) (#5 on machine) Located inside the Think Tank
1) Zoo Logo,
2) Elephant,
3) Stingray
4) Giant Panda lying on a rock

Machine 16: (2015) (#6 on machine) (Inside the Great Ape House)
1) Gorilla Head
2) Monkey type on a vine
3) Giant Panda head,
4) Ring Tail Lemur

Machine 17: (2015) (#7 on machine) Inside the Reptile House
1) Alligator
2) Komodo Dragon
3) Turtle
4) Giant Panda walking forward

Tokens: The token machines have 3 two sided designs, 2 that cost $5 each for the silver-colored tokens or $10 for the Gold/Brass colored tokens.

Need scan of tokens, both sides, on a plain white background.

Token Machine 1: - inside the Visitors' Center. Designs are:
1) Panda and child/ Rear- Cheetah and child, (Gold/Brass colored)
3) Panda and child/ Rear- 3 Foxes, (Silver color)
3) Otter/ Rear Elephant. (Silver color)

Token Machine 2 - to the right of the Panda Plaza Information booth:
1) Panda facing right, Panda eating facing left, (Silver color)
2) Panda lying on a branch/ Rear- Panda and child (Gold/Brass colored/ same as Silver Color design)
3) Panda lying on a branch/ Rear- Panda and child (Silver color/ same as Gold/Brass colored design).

Token Machine 3 - located at the Clint Fields Conservation Plaza, Designs are:
1) Elephant/ Rear- 3 Foxes: (Silver color)
2) Panda facing right/ Rear- Panda and child (Silver color)
3) Panda and child/ Rear- 3 Foxes (Gold/Brass colored)

Retired Designs:

Retired 1 - (H) Elephant design below which reads 'National Zoo'
Retired 2 - Panda Bear stating 'TAI SHAN July 9,2005'
Retired 3 - The Mei Xiang and Cub design
Retired 4 - (H) Two Pandas as sitting next to each other. (Picture on the machine is horizontal, the designs in vertical)
Retired 5 - The Lion design.
Retired 6 - the Orangutan design.
Retired 7 - Vertical Tiger face design
Retired 8 - 1) (H) Tiger, 2) (H) Panda and cub, 3) (V) Zebra.
Retired 9 - 1) (V) Giant Panda, 2) (H) Lion, 3) (V) Elephant
Retired 10 - Bao Bao the Panda

9/30/24 Zoo no longer carries penny book. Also could not locate Machine 12.