The Dallas Zoo
January 14, 2026
Promoting Visitor Engagement: Supporting the Zoo’s Membership Program
Through annual gifts to support the Zoo’s membership program, NexPoint Philanthropies helps the Dallas Zoo continue to reach new audiences. Over 600,000 guests visited the zoo in 2015 and that number has steadily increased since. The Dallas Zoo continues to find new ways to deliver unforgettable experiences, and its efforts earned it recognition as one of the top 10 zoos in the U.S. by USA Today.
NexPoint Philanthropies seeks to support initiatives that increase community access to local civic and cultural institutions. With this goal, we expanded our support of the Zoo in 2017 to include the annual sponsorship of the “Penguin Days” program. The grant enables the zoo to reduce the price of general admission to $7 on select days in December through February, making the Zoo more accessible to the North Texas Community and allowing families who might not otherwise visit the Zoo to do so in an affordable way.
Our vision is a future where communities thrive because people have access to tools and opportunities to succeed. From sciences to economic development to civic engagement, we align with efforts that inspire growth and create impact far beyond a single moment or initiative.
About the Dallas Zoo
The Dallas Zoological Society (the “Zoo”), the largest zoological park in Texas, has become a staple in the Dallas community over its 130-year history. Home to over 430 different species, the Dallas Zoo engages and educates visitors, while seeking to create a better world for animals.
Helping Bring a New Exhibit to the Zoo: Supporting the Construction of the Hippo Exhibit
The Zoo announced in early 2016 that it was planning to break ground on a new exhibit that would bring hippos to the Zoo for the first time in 16 years. The project also marked the first major exhibit opening at the Zoo since 2010.
NexPoint Philanthropy's gift helped established a 4,485-square-foot indoor/outdoor multipurpose event space that engages visitors in interactive activities that further the Zoo’s animal education mission. Currently, the space is a walkthrough exhibit highlighting conservation efforts of hippo habitats around the world. This exhibit helped increase attendance to a record-breaking 1.2 million visitors in 2017.
