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Zoos & Aquariums| Official Website: Stone Zoo Location: 149 Pond Street, Stoneham, MA directions Phone:(781) 438-5100 Hours: Hours Vary see below Ages: Toddlers, Kids, Adults In/Outdoor: Outdoor Cost: $$ see below |
Others to Consider: The Butterfly Place, Woods Hole Aquarium, Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary, ZooQuarium, Franklin Park Zoo - Zoo New EnglandStone Zoo, formerly known as the Middlesex Fells Zoo, is located on a 26-acre site near the sparkling Spot Pond reservoir in Stoneham, MA affiliated with the Franklin Park Zoo. Charles Price, Superintendent of the Metropolitan District Commission’s Middlesex Fells Reservation, founded the Zoo in 1905, and in 1969, the site was renamed in honor of Walter D. Stone, a former Zoo Director.
Visit the touchable barnyard (June & July) where children can touch and see goats and sheep. Wild animals include coatimundi, colobus monkeys, flamingos, llamas, Markhor goats, bald eagles, Mexican gray wolves, river otter, emperor tamarins, ring-tailed lemurs, snow leopards, jaguars, black bears & tortoises.
Gibbon Exhibit
Be sure to visit Iggy, a white-cheeked female gibbon, in the brand new gibbon exhibit at Stone Zoo! Iggy loves to swing and climb throughout her new space – you don’t want to miss it!
Gibbons are endangered animals native to Southeast Asia. They typically weigh between 12 and 16 pounds, are monogamous (pair bonded) and are considered extremely active animals. The new gibbon exhibit uses the same footprint as the former African crested porcupine exhibit. The new space occupies an area measuring 30 feet by 40 feet. Because gibbons are arboreal, or tree dwellers, the exhibit is 20 feet tall and provides ample space for climbing high and swinging throughout the exhibit.
While the Zoo is open year-round, not all of animals are able to be on exhibit each day during the winter. Depending on weather conditions, zookeepers may decide to keep some animals indoors to protect their health and safety. In the event of inclement weather please call us at 617-541-LION (5466). Admission is FREE all day on the Friday after Thanksgiving - 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.!
Birthday Parties
Parties can be held between 10:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. during the summer every day of the week. Stone Zoo holds events at its outdoor Maple Glenn venue which offers a 30 x 30 tent, eight picnic tables and seats up to 50 people. Birthday Party availability is seasonal between April and September. See
View birthday party options at Stone Zoo.
Visitors of all ages can choose from many educational and entertaining programs or even book a private event at one of our beautiful rental sites. Your party time is when you eat food, enjoy cake, and sing 'Happy Birthday' - you can explore the Zoo before and after your party! The Zoo is also now offering the appearance of a costumed giraffe character for birthday parties and special events. Since its debut last summer, the “giraffe” has delighted visitors of all ages.
 Hours |  Top |
Summer Hours (April 1 - September 30)
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. weekdays
10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. weekends and major holidays
Winter Hours (October 1 - March 31)*Closed Thanksgiving Day & Christmas Day
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. daily
Admission is FREE all day on the Friday after Thanksgiving - 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.!
 Cost | Top |
View Current Rates
 Location | Top |
149 Pond Street, Stoneham, MA map
From 93 North, take Exit 34 and go right at the first light. The zoo is on the right approximately ˝ mile from the light.
From 93 South, take Exit 35. At the bottom of the ramp, turn left. At the first stop sign, take a right. Proceed through the intersection. The zoo will be approximately ˝ mile on the right.
 Tips | Top |
- Stone Zoo is a smaller, local zoo that is undergoing a number of improvements at the moment. Attractions such as the Barnyard and the train are seasonal so you should call ahead to be sure that they are operating when you go.
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 Reviews | Top |
Fun party in the rain, Mon 29 Sep 2008
We went to a birthday party at the Stone Zoo in the rain on Saturday. It was great! We had cake and presents in a tent with sides that was quite cozy, then sloshed through the zoo. The animals must have liked the rain because they were all out and visible, and of course the puddles were fun. The staff were kind and helpful. Unexpected fun.
Stone Zoo Disaster, Mon 28 Apr 2008
I do not take the time to write reviews. However, after my visit to the Stone Zoo, I was compelled to share my feelings in the hope that others might think twice about planning a trip there or those who direct the operations of the zoo might recognize the need for major improvements. While our toddler grandchildren visited us for a few days, my husband and I planned day trips. Our first outing took us to the Stone Zoo. My husband and I were so excited to take our grand daughters to their first zoo. The condition of the zoo was shocking. We found the zoo to be more than disappointing. The zoo lacked needed maintenance. Filthy glass enclosed some exhibits which prohibited the children from seeing the animals. The viewing areas were not child friendly for the small ones. There must exist in 'zooland' barrier designs that will allow children to view the animals from a distance. They could not see inside the enclosures. The viewing areas were also too narrow to handle groups of children. Most often only one or two animals resided in a large location, unable to be seen. The paths along the exhibit areas were far too narrow for heavy traffic, definitely not handicap welcoming. A woman with her son in a wheelchair had difficulty pushing the wheelchair along the crowded paths. Many of the trails led to dead ends, and we had to reverse our direction which then created grid locks along the paths. Even the coin rides at the entrance failed to operate. The overall condition of the Stone Zoo shocked me. At least my grand daughters had no other zoo to compare it with, so their disappointment was minimal.
Dissapointed., Wed 29 Nov 2006
The Stone Zoo used to be my local Zoo when I was growing up as a kid. I was back in the area to visit the now grandparents with my 2 year old daughter and the place has really changed and not for the better. Here are some of the examples that I found pretty annoying: The Polar Bear died in 2000. They drained his moat and planted some weeds. Then they added another chain link fence around the land portion of his cage put in a Capybara. So now instead of seeing a polar bear swim around I have to look through 2 chain link fences and a moat filled with weeds for a distant view of a giant rat. The Sea Lion tank which had nice underwater windows into the tank was filled with concrete. They then added a chain link fence and a Yak. Not that there is anything wrong with a Yak but its a bit of a letdown. The giant Aviary well they added a chain link fence around the outside of it and as far as I can tell they demolished the aviary. The largest bird exhibit now a small pond area (no fences this time) with a display sign 'Native Birds of New England'. So whatever bird happens to show up is what is in the exhibit that day. I think I saw a couple of chickadees. The large african mammals I am not really sure but I think they were replaced with some bats or maybe it where the LLama now is. The 'Petting' zoo consisted of a tired sheep and 3 miniature goats. Petting is in quotes because they are like everything else separated from the visitors by a chain link fence. The apple orchard I got to pick apples and blueberries has about 10x the animals in their petting zoo and they appear to be in better condition. In our entire 2 hour visit the only Zookeeper I saw was the one that collected our money. Admittedly the entry fee is only $7.50 but I still feel like I got ripped off. I would rather pay $20-30 and have a real zoo.
Lots Of Animals Not Seen, Mon 31 Jul 2006
Well, I took my 7 year old daughter to the stone zoo yesterday and she was kind of disappointed. She didn't see alot of the animals. The flamingos were nice along with the jaguars, but she really wasnt that excited about being there.
| We make best efforts to update information, but it changes frequently, so we cannot warrant it. Please call to check Stone Zoo schedules, fees, and directions before making the trek. We help you, please help us. Report an Error if you find one. |
