You can purchase a Membership for yourself or as a gift here, over the phone at 412-258-1147, by mailing a check to Membership, 700 Arch Street, Pittsburgh PA 15212, or at our Visitor Services Desk any time we are open!

Thank you for choosing to become a Member with us! You can apply the cost of any General Admissions that would have been covered by a Membership toward your new Membership up to 14 days after you visit! Just give us a call at 412-258-1147 and we can do this over the phone, or stop by our Visitor Services Desk.

If you have your paper or emailed receipt, your Transaction ID will be requested. If you do not have your paper or emailed receipt, we will verify additional information with you to confirm your recent admissions.

Make use of your free Member Admission by creating an account online! We have a full page of instructions with screenshots here. Or, follow these simplified steps below:

1. Go to shop.aviary.org
2. Hit “Login” at the top of the screen, then click “Sign Up”
3. Enter the same information you used when signing up for your Membership
4. Hit “Submit”

Once your account is set up online, you can book your free Member Admission any time, as well as receive your Member Discount on camps, classes, Animal Encounters, and special programming.

As a Member you will automatically receive Member emails and updates, which will keep you up to date on what’s new at the National Aviary.

If you mailed your renewal check, it is possible your renewal has just not had time to arrive to us yet. If you bought online or onsite, the more likely cause is a duplicate in our database. Reach out to [email protected] with your name, Member ID, and any other pertinent information and we will assist in investigating this further so you stop receiving incorrect messaging.

You can either update your information directly in our online portal or contact us at [email protected] to update your information for you.

You can find your Member ID on your electronic or paper receipt whenever you start or renew your Membership. Your Member ID will always be visible on your physical or digital Member Card as well. If you received our automated email about your digital card, the number on the attachment is your Member ID.

If you’re a past Member, you can also find your Member ID on any renewal letters you have received from us as you near your expiration date. On your next visit, you can either request your Member ID or a physical card from our Visitor Services Desk staff.

An automated email with a digital card should be sent to the email we have for you in our database upon purchase. If you did not receive this, please email us at [email protected] and we can send one along.

If you would like a physical copy of your card, you can ask for this upon your next visit at our Visitor Services Desk, or we are happy to mail one out for you. Simply email us at [email protected] to request a mailed version.

To keep our paper and plastic use limited, we only send a physical card out upon request. Simply let us know if you would prefer a physical card and we are happy to send this out for you. You can give us a call, email us, or ask next time you visit at our Visitor Services Desk!

You should have received an automated email when you bought or renewed your Membership. With that email, you can follow the directions below.

• If you have an Apple device, open the attached file and add to your Apple Wallet.
• If you have an Android device, open the attached file and add to your Google Wallet.

If neither of the above work for you, you have the option to download the app Pass2U onto your device to access the digital card. Download Pass2U here.

If you never received that email or are having issues with your digital card, contact us at [email protected].

All Memberships expire at the end of a month. If your physical card says 12/2026, that Membership will expire on 12/31/2026.

Memberships start from the date they are purchased and end on the last day of the month in which they were purchased. If you want to visit on the last day of a given month with a Membership that is due to expire that day, your Membership will be valid that day to visit.

Memberships are non-transferable and are only valid for the individuals named on the card. If you need coverage for additional guests, consider upgrading to a Premium level, which offers four one-time use guest passes. You are also welcome to change the named cardholders on your account up to twice a year – simply give us a call or send an email to [email protected] if you need to do so!

Our Memberships are intended to cover households of all shapes and sizes. They are not intended to be used for group visits, unscheduled event tours, or by anyone not named on the cards. Learn more about our group visits here.

If you purchased at the Premium level, your Membership includes four, one-time use guest passes. These passes are tracked on your Membership itself in the system, so you will not receive physical or digital passes.

To use your passes, simply let our Visitor Services Desk staff know when you are checking in that you would like to use your passes. They will mark your pass usage on your account and can let you know how many passes you have remaining. If you have any questions or want to know the current number of passes you have available, please contact us at [email protected]. 

When you are logged into your account as a Member, you will be seeing the adjusted Member pricing automatically. You will not need to enter a discount code. See instructions here to set up your Member Account online.

If your Membership is valid and you are logged in but still not seeing the appropriate discounts, contact us at [email protected] for assistance.

Yes! Since the National Aviary is AZA-accredited, you qualify to receive half-off General Admission at more than 300 zoos and aquariums nationwide! For a full list of AZA-accredited locations, see this link. Be sure to reach out to any zoo or aquarium listed to learn about any particular schedule restrictions or limitations before you visit.

The Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium, Phipps Conservancy, and the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh do not qualify for reciprocal or discounted General Admission with your National Aviary Membership.

We do offer a Joint Membership with the Children’s Museum—renewing at the Joint levels gives you Membership access to both locations for an entire year! See more information about all our levels here.

There are no regular, ongoing discounts on Membership at the National Aviary. As a small non-profit, we rely on the patronage of our Members and their ongoing contributions. However, we do offer rolling promotions throughout the year, often including a promotional item or a small discount when we are able. Keep an eye on your email or on our website to take advantage of these offers!

As the National Aviary is a zoo and not a museum, we do not participate in Museums for All or offer discounts on Membership to EBT/Access cardholders. However, we do offer highly-discounted General Admission for anyone who presents a valid, Pennsylvania EBT or Access card at our Visitor Services Desk when checking in. Each cardholder receives $5 General Admission for up to 4 guests during one visit. Simply stop in and present your EBT/Access card and valid ID today to receive this rate!

Your Joint Membership guarantees you and your cardholders free Member Admission at both the National Aviary and the Children’s Museum year-round! You get all the benefits of Membership at both locations for one deeply-discounted price. See the Children’s Museum website for more details about their specific Membership benefits.

If you have set up your Membership within this calendar month, you may not yet be in the system at the other location. You can provide proof of your purchase at the Children’s Museum while visiting the Aviary and you will be checked in by our Visitor Services Desk staff. If you are looking to book tickets ahead and have not yet received your Member ID, please do not hesitate to reach out to us for this information.

If you have been gifted a Membership to the Children’s Museum, you will need to activate this Membership at the Children’s Museum before it will be active at the National Aviary.

No, we no longer require timed ticketing to visit the National Aviary, however, booking in advance will save you time at check-in and will guarantee your reservation for that day. If you are booking Animal Encounters, immersive shows, or feedings, we strongly recommend booking these activities in advance as they may sell out before the day you intend to visit.

For all Animal Encounters, we do recommend booking out at least one week in advance. We recommend booking even earlier if you are looking for a weekend Animal Encounter, as we have limited capacity for these popular options.

Even with tickets booked online, our staff will need to greet each guest and scan their tickets, causing a small line on busy weekends or holidays. Please know that we are doing everything we can to get you in the door as fast as possible while maintaining our standards of safety and personalized customer service.

We do recommend using your Membership to reserve your timed tickets online, even if it will not eliminate wait time completely. With your tickets booked in advance, our Visitor Services Desk staff will scan your barcode or QR code without having to count back change or wait for your credit card to process.

We need to check you in even when you book ahead to maintain our headcounts at the door and to verify that you have booked General or Member Admission.

Our commitment to customer service includes greeting each group that comes in the door. We want to make your visit special from the moment you arrive and be able to answer any questions or point out locations of interest on your map. While you may have pre-booked your tickets, you may be unfamiliar with special events taking place that day, including our Daily Activities, shows, and feedings that our staff will be able to address.

As part of our AZA-accreditation, we maintain strict capacity limits every hour. Keeping the accuracy of our headcounts allows us to maintain these important safety standards. To learn more about the AZA-accreditation procedures and requirements all AZA-facilities must meet, follow this link.

In order to offer our Garden Room Lobby as an integral part of event hosting here at the National Aviary, this door is no longer a general entrance. Despite our “National” designation, we receive no federal funding and rely on programming, classes, camps, and private event rentals, like weddings and corporate events to support our birds and their habitats. Follow this link to learn more about booking your special event at the National Aviary.

We do offer entrance at these doors for wheelchair access from our parking lot to any visitors who need it! Simply call us at 412-977-7212 if you need accommodation to use this alternate entrance and a staff member will assist you. This phone number is also posted on the signage found in front of each accessible parking space in our lot.

As members, you will receive invitations to Member Mornings and Expert Talks year-round, both free with your Membership. You will also receive invites to special programs, like show previews, throughout the year so keep an eye on your inbox and on our website! Please note: you should RSVP to guarantee your spot at these popular activities!

Member Mornings are an hour when we open early just for Members. They often include light refreshments, meet and greets with Animal Ambassadors, seasonal crafts, and exclusive access to our habitats.

Expert Talks are a new speaker series which debuted to high praise in 2024. These lectures and presentations feature professionals and researchers from the National Aviary discussing the work they do in conjunction with our mission.

Reach out to [email protected] if you want to receive updates from the National Aviary.

You will need to set up your online account and be logged in to receive any Member discounts or book any Member Admission on our site. If you are logged in but are still receiving this error, please reach out to [email protected] and we can troubleshoot the issue for you.

If you are logged into your Member account but are still unable to reserve your tickets with a $0 charge, be sure you are purchasing Member Admission rather than General Admission. On our shop.aviary.org page, select “Tickets & Animal Encounters” and then “Member Admission” rather than “General Admission.” This will allow you to reserve any spaces covered by your Membership without additional fees.

You can follow this link to make a direct donation to the National Aviary in any amount you choose. From providing quality food and medical care, to maintaining enriching habitats, your contributions ensure the ongoing success and growth of all we do here at the National Aviary. We appreciate all of our Members and Donors for this integral support.