Five novel 3D heterometallic lanthanide-zinc-organic frameworks, [H(H2O)(8)]-[LnZn(4)(imdc)(4)(Him)(4)] [Ln = La (1), Pr (2), Eu (3), Gd (4), Tb (5); H(3)imdc = 4,5-imidazoledicarboxylic acid; Him = imidazole], were synthesized via an in situ hydrothermal reaction, and tunable luminescence from yellow to white was obtained through the doping of Eu and Tb ions in the La-Zn framework.