The zoo's animal inhabitants reside in three zones with 19 exhibits, such as Teton Trek, Northwest Passage and China.

In August 1906, 23 cages and concrete bear enclosures were built with another $3,628 thanks to the head of the commission, Col. Robert Galloway.

A new animal hospital was also finished in 1998,[6] with separate holding and quarantine wings built on opposite ends of the building.

On September 18, 1998, two plaques were dedicated in memory of musician Jeff Buckley in the Memphis Zoo's Sumatran tiger exhibit.

[9] The Northwest Passage exhibit opened on March 1, 2006,[6] with underwater viewing for polar bears and sea lions.

[15] The zoo's second African exhibit, Zambezi River Hippo Camp, opened to the public on April 29, 2016.

[16] The zoo hosts modern exhibits that mimic the animals' natural habitats, such as Once Upon A Farm, Cat Country, Primate Canyon, Dragon's Lair, Animals of the Night, Tropical Bird House, Herpetarium, Aquarium, African Veldt, Zambezi River Hippo Camp, China, Northwest Passage, and Teton Trek.

Other attractions at the zoo include a carousel, an area with rides, a miniature train offering a scenic view of the Once Upon A Farm exhibit, and several theme-oriented gift shops and eateries; many of these amenities operate seasonally.

[17] A children's playground is located next to the Cat House Cafe, and several family picnic areas are maintained beneath groves of mature trees.

The 4-acre (1.6 ha) exhibit,[18] which opened October 2009, brings hallmark features of the Yellowstone National Park to the Memphis Zoo.

[18] The exhibit's trail provides visitors with an underwater look at the bears' fishing pond and a prominent overlook atop the 25-foot (7.6 m) replica of Yellowstone's Firehole Falls.

[21] This exhibit's theme is a tribute to the First Nations culture in Canada's western province British Columbia, animals that inhabit the Pacific Northwest, and its horticulture.

[21] Six hand-carved totem poles that stand throughout the area received a Native American blessing ceremony when they arrived at the zoo.

[21] African elephants, white rhinos, and giraffe are joined by zebras, Grant's gazelle, and ostriches in this area.

The indoor bee exhibit leads to an outdoor aviary that features approximately 500 budgies, commonly known as parakeets.

In addition to viewing these colorful birds, visitors can feed them using millet seed-heads attached to sticks that are available for a small fee.

Other animals showcased in this effort to preserve Chinese species include Sulawesi Black-crested macaques, Père David's deer, Red pandas, François' langurs, and an assortment of colorful birds such as the golden pheasant and red-crowned crane.

This 3-acre (1.2 ha),[23] open-air exhibit houses African lions, cheetahs, Capybara, Amur leopards, meerkats, caracals, capybaras, Bat-eared Foxs, cougars, Sumatran tigers, Bengal tigers, jaguars, snow leopards, and Red pandas.

It is home to hippos, Nile crocodiles, okapi, yellow-backed duikers, Cape vultures, taveta weavers, nyalas, mandrills, blue-bellied rollers, patas monkeys, Chilean and lesser flamingos.

This exhibit reverses the daily cycle of nocturnal animals,[23] giving visitors the chance to see night-dwellers at their most active.

The zoo's three dragons share a special exhibit with outdoor and indoor areas allowing them to stay warm during the cool winter months.

[24] The building is home to exotic bird species from around the world such as the pygmy falcon, Burrowing owl, azure-winged magpie, Bali myna, crested coua, golden white-eye, Jambu fruit dove, Mariana fruit dove, plush-crested jay, purple-throated fruitcrow, red-billed hornbill, Tinian monarch, Toco toucan, and the white-tailed trogon.

The exhibit features a walk-through aviary which allows visitors close contact to a number of birds, especially during feeding time.

The Aquarium is one of the oldest exhibits at the Memphis Zoo and houses aquatic life from both fresh and salt water environments.

[25] Water features, such as ponds, waterfalls, fountains, and streams, are dominant elements of the overall design, in addition to artificial rock formations which blend into the containment walls of the animals' enclosures.

Other key elements of the landscaping are a diverse mix of trees, shrubs, and seasonal herbaceous plants.

Most of the larger trees are native species, which include sweetgum, sycamore, tulip poplar and a host of different oaks and hickories.

[30] On January 8, 2008, a stray dog entered the Memphis Zoo through a service door and leapt into the tiger exhibit before officials could apprehend it.

Zoo staff distracted the tigers, allowing the dog to walk out of the exhibit and survive with several injuries.

[32] In 2019, a man entering the Memphis Zoo shot himself in the upper thigh with a handgun hidden in his pocket.