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Learn And Explore Behind The Scenes in our Animal Medical Center Tour!
An annual physical exam for a lizard. An x-ray for a kangaroo’s foot. A house call for an elephant with a toothache. Our Zoo veterinarians do it all! Learn how in this behind-the-scenes guided tour of the Polly Horton Hix Animal Medical Center.
You’ll see inside the Zoo’s working veterinary clinic and hear stories of how Zoo vet staff care for many different animals every day. You’ll also learn how the medical team at the Indianapolis Zoo works with other experts to improve animal care in zoos and aquariums and save animal species in the wild.
This experience includes views of medical equipment and descriptions of medical procedures and is best suited for guests age 6 and older. Guests under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult participant. The building is ADA-accessible. Strollers, food and drink are not permitted.
When:
Check back soon for information about upcoming offerings of this experience!
Cost (does not include Zoo admission)
Zoo members: $27
Nonmembers: $30
Child: $24
Duration: 45 minutes
Animal Medical Center Tour FAQs
This tour is open to all ages but includes discussions of medical procedures and equipment. It is best suited for guests ages 6 and older. Guests under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult participant. Please note that strollers are not allowed inside the Polly Horton Hix Animal Medical Center.
From time of check-in to the conclusion of the tour and return to the Zoo’s public area, the experience is around 45 minutes. The tour itself is 30–40 minutes.
This tour does include views of medical equipment and descriptions of medical procedures, as well as some imagery of veterinary cases. There is also some discussion of animal death.
Per Zoo policy, photos and videos are not allowed in the Polly Horton Hix Animal Medical Center.
Maybe! Due to the varied schedule of our veterinary team, we cannot guarantee that there will be a veterinary procedure occurring during the tour, but it does happen on occasion.
We make every effort to make our programs accessible to all guests, and the Polly Horton Hix Animal Medical Center is ADA accessible. Please contact us at edustaff@indyzoo.com before registering to discuss accessibility.
Participants should check in no later than 5 minutes before the start of the tour. Look for an Animal Medical Center Tour check-in sign near the exit of the Plains exhibit, across from the Westside Cafe.
We require 48 hours’ advanced notice for any refunds or rescheduling requests for the Animal Medical Center Tour.
No requests for changes or refunds will be honored after this time. If you do not attend on your scheduled date or cancel within the required time frame of your Educational Program date, no refunds will be issued. Please read program details and requirements closely before signing up to ensure all participating members of your party meet any age or height requirements.
If the Zoo must cancel a program due to low registration, animal wellbeing or weather, you will be notified by phone and sent an email. You will have 14 days from that notification to reschedule your event to a future date. If you do not reach out to reschedule within this period, you will be issued a refund and are welcome to rebook on your own at a time convenient for you.