Planning a trip to Amsterdam Zoo, better known as Artis, but not sure which ticket to buy or whether it is worth the price? Queues at the gate can be long, and tickets cost more if you pay on the day. This guide gives you the 2026 prices, opening hours and everything you will see across the 700+ animals, aquarium and planetarium, plus where to book tickets online so you walk straight in.
Artis is the oldest zoo in the Netherlands and one of the oldest in mainland Europe. It is far more than a zoo: a single visit covers a historic animal park, a 19th-century aquarium, a planetarium and a botanical garden, all a short tram ride from the city centre.
Artis uses day-based pricing, so the exact amount changes with the date and is always cheapest when you book online in advance. The figures below are the 2026 starting (“from”) rates published by Artis. Tickets at the gate cost a few euro more, and busy days are priced higher, so check the live calendar before you buy.
| Ticket | Online from | At the gate |
|---|---|---|
| Adult (13+) | €29.50 | €32.50 |
| Child (3–12) | €25.50 | €27.50 |
| Toddler (0–2) | Free | Free |
| Student | €16.25 | €16.25 |
| Combi: Artis + Micropia or Groote Museum | €35.50 | €38.50 |
| Late Afternoon (zoo, from ~16:00) | €15.00 | €15.00 |
One point trips up a lot of visitors: the Aquarium and the Planetarium are included with a standard zoo ticket, but Micropia and the Groote Museum are separate. If you want those too, the combination ticket is cheaper than paying twice.
Children under three go free, and a student ticket is a real saving if you have valid ID. Booking online also lets you skip the ticket queue and head straight to the entrance scanner.
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Artis is open every day of the year, including public holidays. The zoo closes an hour earlier in winter, and the two museums on the grounds keep their own hours.
| Part of Artis | Opening hours |
|---|---|
| Zoo · 1 March – 31 October | 09:00 – 18:00 |
| Zoo · 1 November – end of February | 09:00 – 17:00 |
| Micropia (daily) | 10:00 – 17:00 |
| Groote Museum (daily) | 10:00 – 17:00 (Thu to 22:00) |
| Summer Nights (Saturdays, Jun–Aug) | open until sunset |
The last entry is usually an hour before closing, so aim to arrive by mid-afternoon if you want a full visit.
Founded in 1838 by the zoological society Natura Artis Magistra, Artis spans about 14 hectares and is home to more than 700 species. The grounds are laid out as a green park with ponds, 19th-century statues and shaded lanes, so it feels as much like a stroll through a historic garden as a zoo.
Among the animals you will find lions, giraffes, zebras, elephants, chimpanzees, red pandas, Asian small-clawed otters and a lemur terrace, along with birds, reptiles and a children’s petting area. Themed habitats recreate the African savannah and a tropical rainforest.
Artis also runs serious conservation and breeding work for endangered species, and free weekend guided tours and daily keeper talks help explain what you are seeing.
The Aquarium is one of the highlights and is included with your zoo ticket. Housed in a building from 1882 that is now a national monument, it holds shark tanks, coral reefs and a famous cross-section of an Amsterdam canal seen from below the waterline.
The Planetarium is also included with a zoo ticket and runs daily shows under its large dome. You travel through the solar system and beyond, with live presentations about the night sky of the season. It is a welcome indoor break if the weather turns.
Inside the park, the heated Butterfly Pavilion lets you walk among free-flying butterflies from around the world. It is a quiet, warm stop that children tend to love.
Micropia, on the Artis grounds, is the only museum in the world dedicated to microbes. It won the European Museum of the Year jury’s innovation award in 2016, and the interactive exhibits reveal the invisible organisms living on and around us. Micropia needs its own ticket or a combination ticket; our full Micropia Amsterdam guide covers what to expect.
The Groote Museum reopened in 2022 inside a restored 19th-century building. Rather than a traditional natural-history display, it explores the links between humans, animals, plants and microbes through immersive rooms. Like Micropia, it is a separate ticket.
For most visitors, yes. You are not just paying for a zoo: one ticket covers the animal park, the historic aquarium and the planetarium, which makes the price easier to justify than it first looks. The park setting and monumental buildings also make it genuinely pleasant to walk around, even between enclosures.
Plan on two to four hours for the zoo, aquarium and planetarium together. Add an extra hour if you are also visiting Micropia or the Groote Museum. Families with young children often stay longer thanks to the playground and petting area.
If you only have a short time in Amsterdam and your main goal is big-name art, a museum such as the Rijksmuseum may fit better. For families, animal lovers and anyone travelling with kids, Artis is one of the best-value days out in the city.
Artis is busiest on weekends, Dutch school holidays and warm sunny days, roughly between 11:00 and 15:00. For a calmer visit, arrive at opening (09:00) on a weekday, or use the discounted Late Afternoon ticket and enjoy the park as the day-trip crowds leave.
The single best time-saver is to book online before you arrive. You skip the ticket-office line, lock in the cheaper online price, and scan straight in at the gate.
In June, July and August, Artis also opens late on Saturdays for its Summer Nights, when the park stays open until sunset for a quieter, atmospheric evening visit.
BOOK SKIP-THE-LINE TICKETS
Artis sits in the leafy Plantage district, east of the centre and close to the Maritime Museum and the Hortus Botanicus. The address is Plantage Kerklaan 38-40, 1018 CZ Amsterdam.
The easiest way to arrive is by public transport: tram 14 stops right by the entrance, and it is about a 20 to 25 minute walk from Amsterdam Centraal. Driving is not recommended, as parking in the area is limited and expensive.
A few practical notes: Artis is entirely smoke-free, has cafés and picnic spots on the grounds, and the main paths are accessible for wheelchairs and buggies. See where it fits in your trip on our map of Amsterdam and in our 2-day Amsterdam itinerary. It also pairs well with the family-friendly green space of nearby Vondelpark, and you can find more ideas in our guide to the top things to do in Amsterdam.
Yes. Amsterdam’s zoo is called Artis, officially Natura Artis Magistra. It is the only zoo in the city and the oldest in the Netherlands, founded in 1838.
Online tickets start from about €29.50 for adults (13+) and €25.50 for children aged 3 to 12, with under-threes free. Prices vary by day and are a few euro higher at the gate, so booking online in advance is cheaper.
A standard zoo ticket includes the animal park, the Aquarium and the Planetarium. Micropia and the Groote Museum are not included and need a separate or combination ticket.
Artis is home to more than 700 species, including lions, giraffes, zebras, elephants, chimpanzees, red pandas, otters and lemurs. There are also reptiles, birds, an aquarium and a children’s petting area.
Most visitors spend two to four hours seeing the zoo, aquarium and planetarium. Allow an extra hour for Micropia or the Groote Museum, and expect families with young children to stay longer.
For families, animal lovers and anyone who enjoys a green city escape, Artis is well worth it. One ticket covers the zoo, a historic aquarium and a planetarium, which makes it good value for a half-day out.
Weekday mornings right at the 09:00 opening are quietest. Weekends, school holidays and sunny afternoons are busiest, so arrive early or use the cheaper Late Afternoon ticket.
Yes. Artis uses day-based pricing that is always lower online than at the ticket office, and booking ahead also lets you skip the ticket queue.
No. Micropia has its own entrance and ticket. If you want to visit both, a combination ticket costs less than buying each separately.
Yes. Artis has a petting zoo, a playground and the walk-through Butterfly Pavilion, and the flat park paths are easy with a buggy. Children under three enter free.
Artis is the oldest Dutch zoo but not the largest; Blijdorp in Rotterdam and Burgers’ Zoo in Arnhem cover more ground. Artis stands out for its historic park setting and its aquarium, planetarium and museums on one site.
Artis is at Plantage Kerklaan 38-40, east of the centre. Tram 14 stops at the entrance, and it is a 20 to 25 minute walk from Amsterdam Centraal.
Plantage Kerklaan 38-40, 1018 CZ Amsterdam.
Last updated: October 2026 by the Tours in Amsterdam editorial team. Prices and opening hours are taken from the official Artis website (artis.nl) and can change; always confirm the live calendar before booking.