Duke Lemur Center
Phone: (919) 401-7240
Overview
Deep in the heart of the Duke Forest lies the Duke Lemur Center (DLC), a sprawling 100-acre complex that houses over 200 lemurs across 14 different species. Founded in 1966, the DLC is open to the public and educates more than 35,000 visitors annually. Its highly successful conservation breeding program seeks to preserve vanishing species, and its Madagascar Conservation Programs study and protect lemurs, the world’s most endangered group of mammals. Tours are available by appointment in the warmer months, typically May-September.
Amenities
- Publish on Visit Widget
Hours
Monday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Map
Google Rating
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A lovely little place that I wish more people knew about! Not only is this a place where lemurs live comfortably and can be viewed by the public during tours, but it is also an extensive, non-invasive research facility working to gain knowledge on these fuzzy, lovable primates. My boyfriend and I went on the self-guided tour together back in September. You're going to want to make sure it's tour season and then buy tickets online. There are different levels of tours, with the self-guided ones being the cheapest (although there are still some volunteers there to answer any questions you have and to make sure the lemurs are safe and such).
The tour guides are very friendly, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable, and the lemurs seem happy and healthy. (They are held to a very high standard of care, and they're allowed to free-range in outdoor enclosures from time to time.) I enjoyed walking around, reading the very informative and visually pleasing signs, looking at the lemurs, and asking questions to the tour guides. The mongoose lemurs and the crowned lemurs have such sweet faces, and it's cute how they groom each other. (Note that the nocturnal lemurs have their own specialized habitat with low lighting, and you have to be VERY quiet and avoid shining lights at them; this is for their health and well-being!)
Their visitor center has a wide variety of souvenirs with which you can commemorate your visit (and support a good cause), from T-shirts and stuffed lemurs to polished ammonite fossils and Duke Lemur Center magazines. Everything was very tidy, and the cashier was friendly. There is also a small room in the visitor center with some lemur skulls on display and some biographies of women in STEM. It's nice to think that young girls might see those displays and be inspired by them to pursue STEM careers.
Overall, I enjoyed visiting. It definitely increased my appreciation for lemurs and increased my awareness of the threats they face. Apparently there is also a Duke Lemur Center Museum of Natural History at a separate location on Broad Street in Durham, but the hours it's open to the public are different and limited. I will have to check that out sometime as well! -
Oh my god, where do I start? We visited the behind the scenes lemur tour as a group of 4, and it was one of the best experiences of our lives. Getting to see lemurs in their natural habitat, watching them do their lemur things just a few feet away from us, was incredible.
Our guide, Anna, was absolutely amazing – so knowledgeable, engaging, and clearly passionate about what she does. The 2 hours completely flew by, and I would have happily stayed even longer.
Thank you for such an unforgettable experience ❤️ -
Reportedly the largest collection of Lemur species outside of Madagascar. Cages make the lemurs a bit difficult to see. Good educational materials are available, and volunteers, a few more knowledgeable than most, are everywhere.
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We completely agree with many of the other reviews here: the Duke Lemur Center is an incredible conservation and research facility, but it’s important to understand that it is not a traditional zoo experience. If you go in expecting large open viewing areas and constant close-up animal interaction, you may be disappointed. However, if you appreciate wildlife conservation, education, and research, this place is absolutely worth visiting.
The outdoor lemur enclosures are protected behind double mesh/wire fencing, and during colder months the viewing in the winter habitats can sometimes be difficult from what I’ve read here. We went in early spring with temps in the middle 80s, the lemurs were somewhat active in their habitats, with about 30% of them choosing the stay inside out of sight.
What really stood out was the educational aspect. The volunteers and guides were engaging, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about the lemurs and the conservation work being done. You can learn something new every visit, and it’s obvious that the admission fees directly support the care and preservation of these endangered animals.
The experience has more of a museum or educational center feel than an entertainment-focused attraction. Small children may lose interest quickly, especially if they are expecting a zoo-type environment, and if you don’t stop to engage with the guides, you could probably walk through in 15–30 minutes. But for anyone interested in conservation, science, or rare species, it’s a meaningful and worthwhile experience.
The conservation work itself is truly 5 stars, and hats off to the excellent guides I spoke with today -
Ring-tailed lemurs and Coquerel’s sifakas in their natural habitat enclosures. The tour was a fabulous reward for volunteering.
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