Baltimore is brimming with beautiful light shows during the winter holidays, but it’s rare that we get to enjoy a large-scale lantern festival in the spring. (Especially since Light City indefinitely went dim.)
Now, thanks to The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, locals can feel the glow at Spring Illuminations—an ongoing, after-hours display that takes inspiration from the zoo’s animals and their habitats.
When Maryland Zoo president Kirby Fowler first heard of the concept, he wasn’t expecting the larger-than-life LED sculptures that were unveiled at a special preview event for zoo members on Thursday, April 3.
“When I found out that these are metal structures, life-size animals, sculptures lit from within, it was a totally different experience,” Fowler said of the artwork scattered throughout the campus, which was designed by Tianyu Arts & Culture, the largest Chinese lantern festival producer in North America. “The abundance of installations here is different from what you would imagine.”
Guests entering the zoo are greeted by a massive, handmade arch with giant flowers, bees, and butterflies. Paths are lined with interactive displays—some of which are accompanied by QR codes that provide further explanation—including a tree by the entrance that begins to glow when guests hit the pair of drums set in front of it.
Along the Zoo’s Historic Main Valley, illuminated red pandas and bamboo are featured as a nod to the upcoming red panda exhibit, slated to open in 2026. In Zoo Central, one of Fowler’s favorite installations—a giant, glowing macaw—sits on top of a tree stump. You can talk into a tree trunk and the bird will mimic you, similar to how they do in everyday life.
Having curated festivals at zoos and botanical gardens in more than 50 cities, Tianyu is known for weaving the history of authentic Chinese lantern traditions—which date back to the Han Dynasty (206 BC to 220 AD) when monks would light lanterns to honor Buddha—into its displays that raise awareness of endangered species and their habitats.
“We are always looking for new ways to engage different kinds of audiences, and we had seen some of the lantern pieces at some conferences we went to,” says Colleen Burch, the Zoo’s Senior Director of Events. “So we brought the Tianyu team here, and they put together a really cool proposal for us. We’re just hoping to bring people into the zoo.”
Adds Tianyu event manager Rui Zhou: “We want to share happiness and our culture to [different parts] of the U.S.”
To that end, the zoo has launched a special Asian-inspired food menu to accompany the lights. Offerings include boba tea, wasabi popcorn, steamed edamame, miso butter fries, potstickers in a soy-chili sauce, and Asian nachos topped with pulled chicken and garlic aioli. Guests can also browse a craft market with souvenirs that reflect the experience, such as animal pieces made by Tianyu artists.
All proceeds from the ongoing installation—running daily through June 30 from 6-10 p.m., with admission ranging from $18-28—will help to fund the zoo’s animal care and conservation programs.
“The summer, and some winters, can be tough,” Fowler says. “We need to make sure we attract people during these warmer months. This is a good way to bring people in and generate more funds so we can do the important things, like improve the quality of our animal care. All of our messaging is about how to bring back species and create a more sustainable earth.”