Giant Panda Member Preview

A playful panda flops over a wooden climbing structure, with half of his body hanging on each side.

** ATTENTION SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL ZOO MEMBERS **

If you have member tickets for the Giant Panda Member Preview, all timed-entry member tickets will be honored during operating hours regardless of the time on your reservation.

We encourage you to visit in the morning.

Be the first to see the Zoo's new pandas in an exclusive, members-only preview event!  

Members will get the chance to visit giant pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao two weeks before their exhibit opens up to the general public. As you help the bears acclimate to guests, you can explore the newly refurbished exhibit, take photos, post a message on the Wish Wall and learn about the Zoo’s efforts to protect giant pandas in the wild.

  • Timed reservations are required for all attendees ages 2 and older. Guests will have up to 30 minutes to enjoy the event.
  • Guests should arrive in a single group.
  • Membership holders are limited to one visit per group/household. To learn how many people you can bring on your preview visit, see the chart below: 
Membership LevelPricePreview Guests
(Limit of one visit per membership)
Standard$741
Premier$926
Premier Plus$1228
All Circle & Council Levels$250+8

Give the gift of pandas! Zoo Memberships make the perfect holiday gift for the animal lovers in your life. 

Questions? Email Zoomembership@si.edu or call 202-633-2922. 

Frequently Asked Questions

If you’re planning to park at the Zoo, you should reserve your parking pass ahead of your visit. Although parking passes are sold on-site, spots are limited and run out quickly. We recommend you book as far in advance as possible.

Parking and Directions

The number of people you can bring depends on what level of membership you have. If you’d like to experience the Panda Member Preview with extra guests, consider giving a Gift Membership to bring more friends and family in on the fun! 

You can also upgrade your membership to a higher level. Send an email to ZooMembership@si.edu or call 202-633-2922 to connect with a representative who will assist you. Phones and email are monitored Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Capacity for all time slots is limited, so we ask that you make every effort to arrive on time. Make sure your arrival allows you enough time to reach the event entrance at the Asia Trail exhibit at least 10-15 minutes before your listed preview time. 

Unfortunately, due to high demand, we cannot guarantee exchange requests will be made. Please contact the Membership team atZoomembership@si.edu for more information.

If you don’t see either Qing Bao or Bao Li on exhibit, it’s possible they are receiving a veterinary check-up, sleeping in their behind-the-scenes areas, or participating in a training session with our animal care teams. For the safety of the animals and our staff, we cannot guarantee that both pandas will be on exhibit at every moment.

Giant pandas tend to be most active early in the day, so we recommend you choose a visitation slot in the morning hours. If you miss both bears, you can always visit the Zoo’s website and watch behind-the-scenes videos of the Giant Panda Cam before their exhibit opens to the public.

Unfortunately, due to high demand, membership holders are limited to one visit per household.

Please visit our Accessibility page for information on how we provide inclusive experiences for all audiences.