The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore is getting ready to throw itself a yearlong 150th birthday party in 2026, packing the calendar with family events, fundraisers, and fresh exhibits. The festivities revolve around an official birthday celebration on April 7, backed up by spring and summer programming centered on the historic Main Valley. Zoo leaders say the anniversary is part of a broader push to modernize the front of the park while quietly ramping up conservation work behind the scenes.
Kirby Fowler, the zoo’s president and CEO, called the milestone a chance to "reimagine Main Valley" and said a new red panda exhibit is set to open in June, according to FOX45. The outlet reports that the schedule also includes a Stoop Storytelling evening on April 25 and the return of the Zoomerang gala on June 12. Fowler told that plans also call for a future gibbon habitat and a Harvey M. Meyerhoff Plaza with a cafe, event space, and a splash pad for steamy summer days.
New red panda habitat opens this summer
The zoo broke ground on its red panda habitat in May 2025 and expects construction to wrap in time for a summer opening, marking the first new species habitat in Main Valley in more than 20 years, according to The Maryland Zoo. The exhibit will sit between the historic Round Cage and Round Stand and is designed to house a breeding pair. Local coverage cast the project as a key step in pulling more visitors back to the zoo’s front entrance, with CBS Baltimore reporting on the groundbreaking.
Main Valley makeover and new amenities
All of that construction is part of a 10-year master plan aimed at updating the zoo’s oldest section while improving life for the animals and shoring up guest amenities, Fowler told FOX45. Beyond the red pandas, the plan calls for a gibbon habitat, flyways for birds of prey, and upgraded rental and event spaces that officials say are meant to keep the zoo’s conservation work financially sustainable. The new plaza and cafe are pitched as ways to make Main Valley feel like a year-round hangout for Baltimore families and event hosts, not just a spot you hustle through on the way to the animals.
Programming, fundraising and conservation
The zoo’s 150th-anniversary page lays out a full slate of family-friendly programming, including a LEGO cake reveal on March 22, Wild Field Days on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day weekends, and a Red, White & Zoo celebration on the Fourth of July, according to The Maryland Zoo. The institution also highlights its ongoing conservation efforts, such as projects for African penguins and Panamanian golden frogs that support research and breeding in human care. Organizers say money raised through gala events and special programming will help cover the next phase of Main Valley upgrades.
What to know before you go
Current ticket information, hours, and special offerings are listed on the zoo’s events pages, which note that Zoomerang is scheduled for June 12 and the official birthday celebration is set for April 7. Visit Baltimore describes Zoomerang as a major fundraiser with both VIP and general admission options. Visitors should be ready for phased openings and some active construction in parts of Main Valley as new habitats and guest spaces roll out through the summer.
