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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Zoo & Botanical Gardens debuted its new $72 million VyStar SkyScape entrance on Friday with a ribbon-cutting event featuring top civic leaders, philanthropic partners, and executives from VyStar and the zoo.
The milestone moment for the zoo, one of the city’s most visited cultural institutions, highlights how public-private partnerships can strengthen Jacksonville’s tourism industry, the zoo said.
In addition to the new entrance, the multi-year renovations at the zoo promise a more modern, guest-friendly experience, with changes to pathways so visitors can make a continuous loop through exhibits without backtracking.
Jacksonville Zoo & Botanical Gardens is also nominated in USA Today’s Best Zoo competition, currently third in the standings. Voting continues through March 9 at jaxzoo.org/vote.
Copyright 2026 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.
About the AuthorsAaron Farrar headshotAaron Farrar
Aaron Farrar joins News4JAX as a weekend morning reporter after working for a year at WFXR in Roanoke, Virginia, as a morning news reporter and primary fill-in anchor.
Francine Frazier headshotFrancine Frazier
A Jacksonville native and proud University of North Florida alum, Francine Frazier has been with News4Jax since 2014 after spending nine years at The Florida Times-Union.
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