Wild Place Project merged with Bristol Zoo which sadly closed last Summer. It has remained Wild Place Project up until last week when it was renamed “Bristol Zoo Project”. I personally prefer The Wild Place and I know of many others that have said the same. It gives more sense of “freedom” than zoo does to me. Although I guess they’re very much the same.

The animals started making their way to Bristol Zoo Project last year and will continue to be moved throughout 2024. We visited last year when it was still fairly new (and empty) and didn’t think much it – although the weather didn’t help that! This year was much different and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, there was a totally different atmosphere, enclosures are beginning to look more finished and animals are settling into their new homes well.



Arthur’s favourites are always the Giraffe’s, I think there’s something so fascinating about them. We’ve also grown to love the Lemurs. Bristol Zoo Project have a large walkthrough Lemur enclosure where you can get up close to the Lemurs. One nearly jumped on Arthur’s head which he found amusing! They were all very tame and enjoyed putting on a show for the public.

Bear Wood is absolutely incredible. It’s a wooden walkway that takes 45 minutes (minimum) to walk through (suitable for buggies and wheelchairs). We didn’t make it to this part on our last visit but are sad we skipped it now. We spotted bears having a little wrestle and wolves soaking up the sun.

Bristol Zoo Project have various “keeper talks” and events throughout the day. There is a chalkboard on the entrance which changes daily so make sure you make a note of the times of talks and feeds you want to attend. There are also extra events and activities.
summer events
Throughout the Summer there is a “Very Hungry Caterpillar Trail” (running from 22nd July – 3rd September). Your little ones can find foods from Eric Carle’s famous “Hungry Caterpillar” book. This is one of Arthur’s favourites so he enjoyed trying to find the different foods. Especially the ones hung from the tree at the end. There are also little “cocoon swings” in the Tower Meadow and other activities as a part of the trail.

As well as the Hungry Caterpillar Trail there is also a Butterfly Maze and various different play areas (indoor and outdoor) throughout the park. We spent a lot of time in the play barn to escape the little bits of rain we were having but also enjoyed the sandpit and outdoor slides. For the older ones there is an outdoor adventure course including a giant swing which looked like so much fun.
For food and drink there is the Courtyard Café, the Pizzeria and other vendors dotted around the park serving snacks, ice cream and hot and cold drinks.
Tickets for bristol zoo project
Tickets are available to purchase on the day or via their website here. If you purchase online there is a 10% discount. Bristol Zoo Project have a yearly membership starting at £42 per year meaning you can visit as many times as you like. Membership also includes discounts in the shop and leap of faith and partners with other zoos to offer free visits. If you’re going to visit more than twice it’s cheaper to have the membership, ideal if you’re local.