# Sensory-Friendly Night at Zoolights — Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium

> Event for families in the Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue area (WA). Times are Pacific Time.

- When: Sat, Jan 9
- Where: Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, 5400 North Pearl Street, Tacoma, WA 98407
- Ages: Guests with sensory needs and their families
- Price: $16 general admission; $8 members
- For kids with sensory or other needs: Sensory-friendly. Sensory-friendly night for guests with sensory needs and their families: adjusted lighting and reduced music. Timed online tickets are required (separate Sensory Friendly Night ticket link). A Zoolights Social Story is available on the zoo's site to prepare visitors.
- Organizer: Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium (Metro Parks Tacoma)
- Official page: https://tickets.pdza.org/webstore/shop/viewitems.aspx?cg=sfn1&c=sfnga
- Last checked: Tue, Oct 27

Source: Grassy Knees is a directory of real family events, places and programs for kids across major U.S. metro areas, where every listing is researched from the organizer’s own page and shows the date we last checked it. https://grassyknees.com covers 42 metro areas as of Nov 2, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about
Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-11-01), and new events are added as organizers post them. Sell-outs, weather cancellations and time changes show up on the live page first: https://grassyknees.com/seattle/activities/sensory-friendly-night-at-zoolights-point-defiance-zoo-and-aquarium--listing-2dc6aedda221a63298e9a32f

## About

Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium adds a Zoolights Sensory-Friendly Night on January 9, after the regular Zoolights season (November 27 – January 3) has closed. The zoo describes it as a sensory-friendly experience designed especially for guests with sensory needs and their families, with adjusted lighting and reduced music so the 1.5-million-light displays — the giant Pacific octopus, the Narrows Bridges, the Flame Tree and the tunnel of lights — can be enjoyed more comfortably. As on every Zoolights night, the aquariums are closed and the animals are asleep. Tickets are $16 general admission and $8 for members, and timed online tickets are required. The zoo also publishes a Zoolights Social Story that explains step by step what to expect, to help guests who feel anxious about new experiences. Parking is free.

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