Good news for Brooklyn families: The Prospect Park Zoo is open for the first time in eight months, and it’s hard to tell who’s more excited—the visitors or the animals.

From the baboon habitat to the emu enclosure, furry and feathered faces spent Memorial Day weekend peeking out at guests for the first time since September 29, 2023, when severe flooding left the beloved zoo—one of our favorite zoos in NYC—underwater, wiping out its electrical systems. No animals were harmed, but the zoo was closed to visitors while repairs were made.

My daughter and I joined the caravan of strollers rolling toward the entrance upon its reopening last weekend. Here's what you can expect during your next visit to the Prospect Park Zoo.