Messingham Zoo
BEST FOR
Ages 0-4
ENTRY
from £9
SETTING
Outdoors
WHERE
Scunthorpe
What it’s like
A small, walk-round zoo where you can watch keeper talks, feed emus and otters, and try a bit of animal photography.
Days here run at their own pace. You wander smooth, low-gradient paths past exotic animals, catch the daily keeper talks, and there's an emu that's more than happy to be fed by hand. The otters get their own slot too, the Otter Pots feeding experience, which is the sort of thing that'll get mentioned in the car on the way home.
If anyone in your group fancies more than a quick snap, there's an animal photography session with proper tuition, which feels like the bit to save for last once the little ones have had their fill of feeding and pointing.
Under 4s go free, and at £9 for anyone older it's not a huge outlay for a morning or afternoon out. If you're planning on coming back a few times a year, the annual passes at £45 for an adult and £35 for a child work out sensible rather than a one-off treat. Gates open at 10am and shut at 4pm, same hours summer and winter, though winter Wednesdays and Thursdays are closed unless it's a Bank Holiday, so check which day you're picking.
There's a tea room for homemade cakes and sandwiches if the animal talks run long and someone gets hungry, and the paths are wheelchair accessible with wash stations built for chairs too. It's an outdoor site, so a wet forecast is worth factoring into how long you'll want to stay.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- Under 4s, who go free and get smooth paths for buggies
- Food
- Tea room serving homemade cakes, sandwiches, hot snacks, tea, coffee and soft drinks
- Wheelchairs
- Wheelchair accessible with smooth paths and low gradients
- Winter visits: it's closed Wednesdays and Thursdays unless it's a Bank Holiday
- The Otter Pots feeding experience and the animal photography session are worth building your visit around
- Same 10am to 4pm hours whatever the season, just fewer open days in winter
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
£9 for anyone aged 4 and up, under 4s go in free. There's a £2 discount for disabled adults and their carers.
What are the opening hours?
10am to 4pm, the same in summer and winter. In winter it's closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays except Bank Holidays.
Is it suitable for a toddler?
Under 4s get in free and the paths are smooth with low gradients, so buggies are easy enough to manage.
What do the kids actually get to do?
They can feed animals like emus, watch daily keeper talks, and there's an Otter Pots feeding session for the otters. There's also an animal photography experience with expert tuition.
Is there anywhere to eat?
A tea room does homemade cakes, sandwiches, hot snacks and drinks.
Is it accessible for wheelchairs?
Yes, the site has smooth paths, low gradients and wheelchair-friendly wash stations.
Are annual passes worth it?
If you fancy going more than a couple of times a year, £45 for an adult and £35 for a child covers you all year.
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