Blank Park Zoo

Blank Park Zoo is Des Moines's accredited zoological park, home to over 2,500 animals and dedicated to conservation, education, and recreation. The zoo's private event rental program opens the entire grounds — and its most distinctive indoor and outdoor spaces — to corporate gatherings, weddings, galas, and celebrations of all sizes. The Holmes Foster Event Center, the zoo's largest indoor venue, accommodates up to 450 guests at banquet rounds or 600 for a cocktail-style reception, and comes with tables, chairs, audio/visual equipment, and setup and teardown service included. The Discovery Center seats up to 200 in a theater configuration or 120 at banquet rounds, with views overlooking the bird aviary and botanical gardens and access to year-round indoor animal exhibits. Outdoor options include the Large Pavilion, which handles 150 to 300 guests near the zoo's entrance alongside the Bald Eagle exhibit, and the African Pavilion, an intimate covered space for up to 60 guests with sweeping views of the giraffe and addax exhibits. Two exclusive on-site caterers handle food and beverage service, complimentary parking is available for all guests, and an on-site event supervisor is included with every rental. Animal viewing is available April through October, giving events an element that no ballroom can replicate.