New free admission days at zoo

HOUSTON Formerly held on Memorial Day, Labor Day and July 4, summer free days traditionally saw very large crowds, putting a strain on the zoo staff, animals and surrounding areas like the museum district and Texas Medical Center.

To alleviate serious traffic and overcrowding concerns, the zoo created a new free day policy. The new free day schedule now in effect will maintain five free admission days:

• Columbus Day -- Observed on the 2nd Monday in October
• New Year's Day -- January 1
• President's Day -- Third Monday in February (most schools observe)
• Thanksgiving Friday -- The day following the Thanksgiving Holiday
• Martin Luther King Day -- Observed on the 3rd Monday in January

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