Insect Zoo

The Insect Zoo at San Francisco Zoo is the exhibit that divides parents into two camps: those who edge toward the exit and those who realize their child has found their people. The displays include giant walking stick insects, hissing Madagascar cockroaches, millipedes, and tarantulas — all viewable in close-up terrariums that let kids get genuinely near the animals in ways most exhibits don't allow.

For kids who are into bugs (which is a substantial percentage of the elementary school-age population), the Insect Zoo delivers a depth of engagement that the larger animal exhibits sometimes can't match. A 6-year-old who loves insects will study every terrarium with an intensity that suggests a future in entomology.

The exhibit is housed in an indoor building which has two practical advantages: it's climate-controlled and it works on the kind of foggy, cool SF days that make the outdoor zoo exhibits less appealing. The Insect Zoo is a rainy-day highlight within the broader zoo visit.

Access requires SF Zoo admission. The full zoo is an excellent family destination in its own right, with the Insect Zoo as one of the highlights alongside the Children's Zoo area, Penguin Island, and Hearst Grizzly Gulch. SF Zoo is located on the western end of the city near Ocean Beach, which makes the visit easily combinable with a beach walk for families who want to extend the day.

SF residents get discounted admission — bring ID. Children under 3 are free. The zoo's membership program is worth it for Bay Area families who visit multiple times per year.