Planning to visit Winnipeg's Assiniboine Park Zoo? You'll have to dig a little deeper into your pockets to get through the gates starting today.

The biggest increase is to the zoo's annual membership rate for families, meaning a family of two adults and up to three children/youth will have to pay $189 starting Tuesday. The old rate was $115.

"The reason for that is because it is a membership that includes unlimited zoo admissions for the entire year, so that will include the Journey to Churchill exhibit … which is coming on line this summer," said Kevin Hunter, director of marketing and community engagement with the Assiniboine Park Conservancy.

Meanwhile, general admission for adults has gone up from $8.50 to $10.75 starting Tuesday, while the children's admission price is up from $5.50 to $6.95.

Admission prices for seniors (60 years and up) and youth (aged 13-17) are also going up from $6.40 to $8.65.

General admission remains free for children under the age of two, as well as those who are Assiniboine Park and Zoo members.

Zoo officials say general admission prices will see another increase later this year, once the Journey to Churchill exhibit opens, but the annual membership rates will not change.

Even with the new prices, Hunter said admission to the Assiniboine Park Zoo is among the most affordable in North America.

"We're going to have people concerned when the prices increase — that's just natural — but most people are seeing the different things that are coming on line at the zoo," he said.

"The value behind the zoo experience has also increased."

See the zoo's full list of general admission and membership price changere: