Construction is underway at the Hattiesburg Zoo on a new ticket office, gift shop and education space aimed at improving how visitors enter the zoo and expanding hands-on learning opportunities.
The new facilities are expected to be completed by midsummer.
Rick Taylor, executive director of the Hattiesburg Convention Commission, said the expansion focuses on education and guest experience, particularly for school field trips and group visits.
“What we’re looking to do is create a space where we can bring out educational animals and have the whole class be able to sit and interact with the animals,” he said.
The project also addresses logistical challenges at the zoo’s current entrance. Taylor said guests now walk past bushes and sidewalks before reaching the ticket booth, which can be confusing and congested.
The new entrance will move ticketing to the front of the zoo, creating a clearer and more welcoming arrival point for visitors.
Hattiesburg resident Hannah Carothers said she frequently brings her daughters to the zoo and is excited about the added improvements.
“Our girls benefit from all the education activities here so much already,” she said. “To see construction and new buildings to make that even better is very exciting.”
Prior to this project, the most recent expansion efforts focused on the west side of the zoo, including the Chilean flamingo and miniature donkey exhibits. Taylor said the current project shifts attention to the east side, allowing staff to better use the full footprint of the property.
The expansion is projected to cost between $300,000 and $400,000. Tayor said ticket prices will remain unchanged, with revenue from Serengeti Springs — a waterpark that opened at the zoo in 2024 — helping offset construction costs.
“The water park has a huge role in funding the growth of the zoo so that we don’t have to raise prices here on admission to try to continue that maintenance or that new addition of exhibits,” Taylor said.
He said the zoo plans to continue expanding in the future, with additional animal exhibits planned deeper in the park.
“We want Hattiesburg to be proud of it and to see it and wonder where it will go next, knowing it’s going to be going forward,” Taylor said.
Contributors: and
