I was wondering how everyone's local or home zoo's membership works..? Is it pretty standard worldwide..? For example: Auckland Zoo has a Friends of the Zoo membership... For about $80 a year you get unlimited entry, quarterly newsletter, special entry to events (like early entry to exhibit openings)... It also gives a 10% discount on purchases in the zoo and 10% off entry to Auckland's Aquarium, Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World... Its great value... What about yours..?
Well I'm a member of Chester Zoo (and I'm sure there are others on this forum as well...) For a child one it is £20 I think and this allows unlimited entry, quarterly magazine (Z), special member days (early entry and talks with keepers). There are also member trips and events. There is 10% off anything bought in the zoo's gift shops... Child members are given days such as keeper for a day and trips to other zoos and science related places (museums). There is also a summer school that runs for a week (?) in the summer but WrithedHornbill could probably tell you more about that.
Adult membership of Chester Zoo is £60 or £55 by direct debit, this option applies from the 2nd year of membership. Membership entitles the member to unlimited free admission to the zoo. Members receive the zoo magazine called 'Z', the NEZS annual report, an invitation to the annual general meeting (with voting rights) and other talks, and invites to 2 member's days. Occasionally visits to other zoos are arranged. Adult members can gain free admission to other zoos, which are at the moment Belfast, Bristol, Dublin, Edinburgh, Marwell, Paignton (including Living Coasts - don't know about Newquay) and Woburn Safari Park. I have been a member of the society since 1976 and in nine years time I will meet the qualifications for free life membership (i.e. a person over the age of 60 who has been a member for a minimum of 25 years).
32 years ay Bongorob..? Since you were 19..? What does life membership entitle you to..? @Writhed, what does your other memberships afford you..?
Life membership provides nothing extra, people just don't have to pay anymore. Also I forgot to include Colchester in the zoo list. I joined the North of England Zoological Society when I was 19, it was very formal, all new members had to complete an application form and have their application proposed and seconded at a NEZS meeting. If no objections were raised, the membership wnet through. I still have my letter of acceptance from Mr Mottershead somewhere. In 1975 Cadbury's mini roll cakes had a free zoo ticket promotion which I took advantage of, so actually I have not paid an entry fee to Chester Zoo since 1974. They've still had plenty of money off me though in adoptions and membership fees.
in Belgium the 'Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp' offers a lot of possibilities: * Family membership: € 137,50 (partens and children) * Family membership 60+: € 124,25 * Family membership for people with handicap: € 118,75 (if one of the partners has a handicap) * Individual membership for 1 parent: € 102,50 (in case of divorce, widows...) * Individual membership: € 87,50 * Individual membership for people with a handicap: € 68,75 All possibilities including free acces to both parks of the Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp (= Antwerp Zoo and animal park Planckendael) + reduction on food in the parks + advantage in other parks + getting the Zoo magazine and still some other stuff .
Life membership at Chester Zoo starts at age 65, so only another 14 years to go, by which time the super zoo should be almost completed. Twycross Zoo is another collection which admits Chester members free.
Our zoo has several membership categories. A family membership is $69 and is good for a full year. That allows free admission to the zoo for that year, a magazine, zoo calendar, newsletters, free weekly z-mail from the zoo, and discounted or free admission to 150 other zoos in the US.
My wife and I are members of Oregon Zoo, which has a similar policy as Rookeyper's Fort Wayne Children's Zoo. Therefore there are weekly emails, newsletters, and about 150 others zoos across the U.S. that we can visit for free. The Seattle Zoo is about two and a half hours away, as compared to the five hours of Oregon Zoo, but the latter has the better deal in terms of annual membership.
About 30 years ago I shelled out 70 bucks (Australian, which is about 80 bucks U.S.) which got me life associate membership of the Royal Zoological Society of N.S.W., which at that time ran Taronga zoo. Despite the fact that the R.Z.S. no longer runs Taronga, the state govt. honours the "life membership " status and so for the last 30 years and for the rest of my life I get free admission to both Taronga and Western Plains zoos. Best $70 I ever spent!
Pretty neat membership indeed - I'm member card holder for 10 years now (soon, we'll be renewing ours for the 10th time). That means since I was about 8 years old. Too bad the possibilities are far less than they have been, but I still think it's very much worth having the card.
So far the memberships seem pretty close... Some seem slightly better than others... Anyone from non-western countries quite similar..? I joined the local Aquarium on a year membership today, $75 not too bad considering single entry is $29.50...
