Primate Forest at the Cleveland Zoo: Orangutans, an Anteater and a Forest of Light

For years, the RainForest was the building everyone remembered at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. It closed in 2024 for the biggest project in the zoo’s history. On October 22, 2026, it reopened as Primate Forest. We went on a cold, gray morning in early November, about two weeks after it opened.

The Primate Forest sign and orangutan statue at the entrance — The Primate Forest entrance

The first phase cost about $70 million. The building is home to around 65 kinds of animals, from orangutans to turtles, and the zoo is not done yet.

A Primate Forest Now Open banner on the new outdoor habitat fence — The new outdoor orangutan yard, ready but empty on our visit

A forest made of light

Inside, the first big room is all about technology. Projections cover the curved walls with trees, light and sound, so it feels like walking into a forest in the morning. It is a good way to start, and it sets the mood before you see a single animal.

A projected forest scene on a curved wall — A forest projected on a curved wall

There is more of this through the building. A small theater, touch screens and hands-on stations explain the animals and the people who care for them. It all feels modern, but it does not take attention away from the animals.

A screen and touch station in a learning room — One of the learning rooms

The orangutans

The orangutans are the stars. Their new home is much bigger than the old one, with tall poles, ropes, high nests and a glass dome to climb in. You can watch them from more than one level, and sometimes you can see keepers at work behind the scenes.

Two orangutans resting among tall poles in their indoor room — Two orangutans taking it easy indoors

An orangutan climbing in the glass dome — An orangutan up in the glass dome

For the first time, the orangutans also have an outdoor yard. It was too cold for them to go out on our visit, so everyone stayed inside. That worked out fine for us. The yard looked ready and waiting, and the orangutans were close to the glass.

The new outdoor orangutan habitat, empty on a cold morning — The outdoor yard, empty on a cold morning

Monkeys, and an anteater

Smaller monkeys move fast through their climbing frames, and they were hard to photograph. We got one to sit still for a moment.

A monkey on a climbing frame in its indoor habitat — A monkey on its climbing frame

The surprise of the day was in the Tropical Forest, the part of the building with pools, plants and warm, damp air. A giant anteater was walking its rocks with its long nose close to the ground, never stopping for long.

The tree-trunk entrance to the Tropical Forest — The way into the Tropical Forest

A giant anteater with its nose to the ground — A giant anteater, nose down

A giant anteater walking along a rock ledge — Still looking for ants

Ducks and turtles share the pools nearby. It is a nice place to slow down after the busy primate rooms.

A duck in a pool in the Tropical Forest — A duck in the Tropical Forest

A place for kids to play

The building also has the zoo’s first indoor play area. That makes sense in Cleveland, where it is cold for much of the year. Kids can climb on a big wooden orangutan by the windows, and parents get a warm place to sit.

A wooden orangutan climbing structure in the indoor play area — The indoor play area

Still growing

This is only the first phase. Gorillas are coming in a later stage, and a sign already marks their future home. The zoo plans to finish the whole project by 2032, its 150th birthday.

A sign for the future home of Gorilla Forest — The future home of Gorilla Forest

Practical Info

Where: Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, 3900 Wildlife Way, Cleveland, Ohio.
Tickets: Primate Forest is included with zoo admission. Check current prices and hours on the zoo’s website.
Cold days: Most of Primate Forest is indoors, so it is a good winter choice. The orangutans may not go outside when it is cold.
Allow: About an hour for Primate Forest, more for the rest of the zoo.