Thanks for your interest in visiting the Lemur Center! Because the DLC is first and foremost a non-invasive research center, visiting is a different experience to your traditional zoos or aquariums. We have many incredible and unique tour options, but our schedule varies depending on the time of year and we cannot accommodate walk-in visitors.
Please note: You must have a prepaid tour reservation in order see the lemurs. In order to keep the endangered primates that call the DLC home safe and healthy, we regret that we cannot accommodate any walk-in visitors in any capacity.
All Year Round
These tours and educational opportunities are offered all year round. Don’t live in North Carolina? The Adopt a Lemur Program and Virtual Painting Package are wonderful, educational ways to support the DLC from afar!
Seasonal Offerings
These tours are offered during the main tour season (May-September), with the exception of Wild Workshops (offered October-April). All seasonal tours are offered onsite only at the Duke Lemur Center in Durham, NC.
Tour Summaries
Tours and educational opportunities offered all year round:
Behind the Scenes Tour: Take a peek behind the animal care curtain of the DLC on this one-of-a-kind experience! You’ll get up close views of feedings and enrichment sessions, and your tour guide can focus on your interests the whole time. Our afternoon Behind the Scenes tour also provides a rare opportunity to see the elusive aye-aye! Year round. Ages 10+. Onsite only.
Fossil Tours: The DLC Museum of Natural History hosts workshops, open houses, and year-round private tours with Curator Dr. Matt Borths. Private Museum Tours can be in-person or virtual, so you can enjoy the collection and Matt’s incredible wealth of knowledge from near or far. Year round. All ages.
Adopt a Lemur Program: Your symbolic adoption supports animal care at the DLC and our conservation programs in Madagascar! You or your chosen recipient will receive an adoption packet and quarterly emails for one year, including photos and educational updates about your adopted lemur who lives right here at the DLC. This is a wonderful way to learn about lemurs while also supporting our programs.
Virtual Painting Package: A one-of-a-kind gift and a wonderful way to support the DLC from afar! In addition to receiving one-of-a-kind pieces of lemur artwork in the mail, you or your gift recipient will receive a custom video of the painting session made just for you, AND the lemurs get a fun enrichment activity—really, it’s a “win” for everyone!
Virtual Tour: This free virtual tour takes place over a collection of 14 carefully curated videos. Each video ranges from three to 11 minutes long, highlighting species you might see along the tour path as well as topics like lemur evolution, housing, and enrichment.
Tours offered seasonally:
Walking with Lemurs: This incredible experience takes you into the DLC’s famous Natural Habitat Enclosures, where you can view the lemurs in the trees of large, forested habitats from just six feet away, and with no barriers between you and the lemurs! May-September, plus “off season” dates when weather permits. Ages 10+. Onsite only.
General Tour: This family-friendly tour offers an overview of the DLC, its three-fold mission, and its residents—and allows guests to see at least eight species of the amazing lemurs that call the DLC home! This open house-style tour is ideal as an introduction to the DLC for all ages, and includes loads of interaction and Q&A opportunities with trained educators stationed along the tour path. May-September, plus “off season” dates when weather permits. All ages. Onsite only.
Private General Tour: This is a personalized version of our General Tour and visits the same animals along the tour path, but with one dedicated tour guide just for you and your small group. This tour experience is perfect for any age range or familiarity with lemurs, since your tour guide can cater their delivery to your group’s interests and questions. May-September. All ages. Onsite only.
Group Tours and Field Trips: From second grade field trips to summer camps to corporate retreats, visiting the lemurs is a fantastic activity for everyone! We accommodate most Group Tours and Field Trips between May-September, but additional dates can be available for Duke University groups or those interested in a more customized experience. All ages. Onsite only.
Wild Workshops: Dive deep into fascinating topics with our experts and enjoy fun behind-the-scenes activities in our new and improved Wild Workshops! We will rotate between themes depending on the time of year, but we can guarantee that every Wild Workshop will be full of interesting facts, engaging activities, and of course, lots of lemur viewing. October-April. Age requirements vary by Workshop. Onsite only.
Questions?
Please call the Lemur Landing front desk at (919) 401-7240 or email primate@duke.edu. We’ll be happy to help!
