Night of the Cats

Event dates and opening hours

The event for the whole family will be held on September 19, 2026. Event tickets grant access to the zoo from 4 p.m. onwards, and the zoo closes at 11 p.m. Please note that last admission is two hours before closing time. 

Arrival

Arrival by land to Night of the Cats is only possible via Nihti along the new Finkensilta bridge. We recommend leaving your car at home or at the Redi car park and using public transport. At the end of the Finkensilta bridge, there is a tram stop for line 13 and a city bike station. A ferry will also operate from the Market Square throughout the event.

The event has traditionally been popular, so be prepared to queue and wait for your turn.

Event tickets

During the event, Korkeasaari can only be accessed with a separate, day-specific event ticket. For every ticket sold for Night of the Cats, 1 € will be donated to the protection of Pallas’s cat. There are a limited number of tickets available, so make sure to get yours in time!

Tickets are valid for one day only and cannot be exchanged or refunded.

Please note that discounted event tickets for annual pass holders require a valid, personal Korkeasaari annual pass. The validity of the annual pass will be checked when the ticket is scanned at the entrance. Annual passes will not be sold, activated, or renewed at the ticket office during events.

Instructions for Night of the Cats 

Admission tickets
Print out your ticket or open the PDF ticket on your mobile phone in good time, as the internet connection may be interrupted. A screenshot does not serve as a ticket. The event ticket allows only one entry. We recommend arriving well before dusk, as admission ends at 9 p.m. 

Arrival 
We recommend leaving your car at home or at the Redi shopping centre’s car park, and using public transport.

Access to the Cat Valley 
If necessary, we will restrict access to the Cat Valley to ensure smooth movement within the area. If the situation requires, access to the Cat Valley may be changed to one-way, in which case visitors will enter the Valley from the end of the lion enclosure. 

Evening 
After dark, only the atmospheric illuminated route will be in use. Some species retire early and will therefore not be visible. Remember that nocturnal animals have good vision even in the dark, so please do not disturb them with flash photography! Bringing pets, feeding the animals, and other disturbance of the animals are not permitted, as is the case at Korkeasaari at all other times. 

Bring your own food 
The grills at Korkeasaari can be heated up for grilling your own food, and outdoor picnic areas are available. Please sort your waste at the recycling points to keep the island clean! Bring your own soft drinks in plastic bottles. The island’s restaurants have license to sell alcohol, and you are not allowed to bring your own alcoholic beverages. Please do not bring bags larger than a backpack, as checking them takes a lot of time and there are no storage lockers on the island. 

Problems 
The first aid station is located at the ticket office and there is a first aid unit at the zoo during the event. The Korkeasaari control room phone number 050 352 5989 is the Zoo’s emergency number. Lost property is listed on the eOmistaja Löytö service, where you can check directly whether your lost item has been found. 

We reserve the right to make changes to schedules, prices, and programme. 

FAQ