It was five Saturdays ago on Oct. 11 that the gates to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo were closed to the public due to the government shutdown.

President Donald Trump signed a bill on Wednesday that funds the government through Jan. 30, 2026, which ended the longest government shutdown in history. Now, the Smithsonian museums are reopening on a “rolling basis.”

On Saturday morning, the Woodley Park neighborhood of D.C. was packed with people with smiles and strollers as they entered the main gates of the National Zoo.

WTOP spoke to some visitors, including two friends who are both bird enthusiasts.

“My friend is visiting,” Afnan, an environmental scientist, said. “I let her know that they’re going to take the animals off furlough today.”

Nicole, Afnan’s friend, came from New Jersey

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