Enjoy the Milwaukee County Zoo

The Milwaukee County Zoo is a place for laughter, learning, and community. Home to thousands of animals, guests of all ages have the unique opportunity to see animals they may not be able to see in the wild. The Zoo is open almost every day of the year and makes lasting memories for every zoogoer. The beautiful 190-acre wooded property provides a natural canopy as you visit animals from around the world.

If you would like to visit the Zoo more than once a year, consider purchasing a Zoo Pass! As a way to raise funds to help support the Zoo, the Zoological Society sells Zoo Passes to individuals and families. The Zoological Society is a nonprofit organization that helps support the Zoo so it can continue to provide a world-class Zoo experience for generations to come.

Explore Our Zoo Passes

Visit The Zoo Intro

Zoo Hours and Rates

Now through Feb. 28, 2023, Zoo hours are:
Monday-Friday: 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday: 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

March 1 through May 27, 2023, Zoo hours are:
9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily

Admission gates close 45 minutes prior to Zoo closing time, and animal buildings close 15 minutes prior to Zoo closing.

The Zoo uses a Flex Pricing model. Prices may vary throughout the year. See their FAQ’s on the ticketing page here.

Milwaukee County residents with I.D. receive $1.75 off full price paid admission every day except Wednesday. On Wednesdays, Milwaukee County residents are admitted at a reduced rate of $10.50 for adults and $8.00 for children (age 3 to 12).

Parking is $15 per passenger vehicle, $20 for buses.

Learn More

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Getting to the Zoo

The Zoo keeps guests up to date on bus routes and construction around the Zoo.

Find your best route to the Zoo!

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Eating at the Zoo

The Zoo allows guests to bring in their own food and non-alcoholic drinks. However, if you are looking for a cool treat or classic dishes, the Zoo offers different meals to fit your needs.

Plan Your Menu

Exploring The Zoo
Exploring the Zoo

Looking for a restroom, food stand, or favorite animal? Use the Zoo map to find your way around.

Check Out the Map

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Wheelchairs

Wheelchairs are for the benefit of Zoo guests with special needs.

Note: Rentals stop 1/2 hour prior to the Zoo closing. Wheelchairs cannot be rented in advance.

Standard wheelchair: Free
Driver’s license and deposit required.
Mobility scooter: $30

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Nursing Suites

The Milwaukee County Zoo was the first zoo in the nation to offer quiet and private places to feed nursing children and/or use a breast pump. These suites are found in the U.S. Bank Gathering Place, the Dairy Complex and the Aquatic & Reptile Center. Simply call the number on the front of the suite to receive the door code for access.

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Strollers

sponsored by:

Wildernessresort

Adult, junior, and specialty strollers are available on a first-come, first-served basis. In the summer, strollers can be rented in the tent across from the Taylor Family Humboldt Penguin Exhibit. In the winter, please stop at the gift shop in the Flamingo Cafe for stroller rentals.

Single stroller: $7
Double stroller: $10

Universal Changing Station

sponsored by:

Variety

If you have a loved one who needs help with toileting, you’re welcome to use the Zoo’s Universal Changing Station. Just outside the Zoo’s main gift shop, the safe, clean station includes an adult-size table holding 300+ pounds, a toilet, and a sink. For access to the station, stop in the Zoo Administration office in the U.S. Bank Gathering Place and pick up the key.

ANIMAL SHOWS AND PROGRAMS

During certain times of the year, the Zoo and the Zoological Society offer animal and entertainment programs.

Animals in Action

Join us for these zookeeper- and Zoo Pride volunteer-led talks on some of the highest-profile animals at the Zoo.

Open: Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day (weather permitting)
Admission: Free

Aquatic & Reptile Center Talk:
11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday
Aquatic & Reptile Center Theater

Elephants Talk:
11:30 a.m. Daily
Elephants in Action Pavilion

Camels Talk:
2:15 p.m. Daily
Camel Habitat or Theater

Harbor Seals Talk:
3 p.m. Daily
Harbor Seal Habitat

Giraffe Experience presented by Miller Lite

The Zoo’s Giraffe Experience features an outdoor enclosure for the African giraffes; a deck that lets zoogoers get face to face with and feed the giraffes; a temperature-controlled indoor public viewing area; and animal-care areas.

Giraffe Feedings: Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day*
Giraffe Feeding Times: Daily, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. No public feedings from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Visit the ticket booth near the Giraffe Deck for further details and costs.

* Opportunities are subject to the giraffes’ appetites, weather and special events.

Goat Yard

Get ready for a special encounter with some of the Zoo’s friendliest and furriest animals! The Milwaukee County Zoo is home to more than 30 Nigerian dwarf goats. Nigerian dwarf goats—smallest of the dairy breeds—are gentle, even-tempered and wonderful with children.

Open Daily: Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day (weather permitting) in the Northwestern Mutual Family Farm
Goat Feeding Times: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Fee: 50 cents/handful of feed

Kohl’s Wild Theater

Treat the kids – and yourself – to wildlife theater at the Zoo! Professional performers use drama, songs, and puppetry to inspire visitors of all ages to learn and care more about our natural world. Catch one of our 15-minute shows on the Kohl’s Wild Theater stage in the farm this summer.

Open: Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day – Closed Mondays
Show Times: Noon and 1:30 p.m.
Admission: Free

Learn More

Stackner Animal Encounter

On the farm, get an up-close introduction to Wisconsin animals like ducks and porcupines at Animal Encounter programs, held in the Stackner Animal Encounter building five to six times a day. Times vary and are posted inside the farm area.

Open Daily: Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day in the Northwestern Mutual Family Farm

Ocean Connections Seal & Sea Lion Programs

Ocean Connections is a nonprofit organization that operates inside the Zoo. Its mission is to provide forever homes to seals and sea lions deemed unable to survive in the wild. You can visit your flippered friends during a variety of programs.

Throw a fish and interact with one of the seals or sea lions, take a photo with one the animals, watch a special show or signup for a behind-the-scenes experience. Just get ready to fall in love with these special animals.

Learn More

Virtual Reality
Gorilla Trek

Experience the jungle and live among mountain gorillas in this new virtual reality experience. Special virtual reality goggles will give you a full 360-degree view of the jungle as you learn about a gorilla family and their behaviors.

Admission: $7 for general public, $6 for Zoo Pass and Platypus Circle members

Traveling Exhibit
Dino Don’s
Journey to the Ice Age

sponsored by:
Sendik'S Food Market

Be amazed by a magnificent menagerie of giant mammals that roamed the world during the Ice Ages, 2.4 million years ago! See saber-toothed tigers, woolly mammoths, giant sloths, and more!

Outdoors, behind Small Mammals Building
Open Daily: May 20-Oct. 7, 2023
Fee: $4

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RIDES AND ATTRACTIONS

Carousel

sponsored by:

Penzeys

Take a trip back to yesteryear on our vintage carousel. Located across from the Train Station.

Open Daily: May through September (weather permitting)
Hours: Opens daily at 9:30 a.m.
Limited hours in September and October.
Admission: $3 per person

ADA Accessible

Safari Train

sponsored by:

North Shore Bank

All aboard our legendary Zoofari Express, featuring both steam and diesel locomotives. Tickets available at the Train Station.

Open Daily: May through September (weather permitting)
Hours: Opens daily at 10 a.m.
Limited hours in September and October.
Admission: $4 per person

Sky Safari

Go above it all and see the Zoo from a new perspective! Continuous departures across from the South American yard. (Ride embarks and disembarks at the South American yard.)

Open Daily: Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day (weather permitting)
Hours: Check ride area for hours of operation.
Limited hours in September and October.
Fee: $4 per person

Society members with I.D. receive a discount. Stop by the ticket booth for details.

Zoo Expeditions

sponsored by:

Meijer

Choose your journey for a unique riding experience on an open-air tram. Learn fun facts about the Zoo and the animals on this popular guided tour.

Open Daily: Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day (weather permitting)
Limited hours in September and October.

Visit the Meijer Zoo Expeditions Headquarters for costs and times. Society members with I.D. receive a discount.

Playground

sponsored by:

Unitedhealthcare

This popular stop inside the farm area is filled with slides, climbing bars and more. The playground is outside and open year round.

Sky Adventure Ropes Courses & Zip Line

The sky’s the limit for outdoor family fun and fitness at the Zoo’s Sky Adventure featuring a zip line, ropes course and mini ropes course for young children.

Zip Line
The Zip Line launches thrill-seeking guests across a 500-foot, round-trip aerial runway for a magnificent view of the Zoo’s nearby forest.

Ropes Course
The three-level, 24-obstacle Ropes Course sends guests traversing across rope bridges, swinging steps and beams suspended two stories above ground.

Mini Ropes Course
The Mini Ropes Course, perfect for children 2 to 7 years old, features a walk-through that invites older helpers to accompany children as they navigate the course. Chaperone required.

Open Daily: May through August (weather permitting)

Admission:

Zip Line: $20
Ropes Course: $15
Mini Ropes Course: $10
Zip Line and Ropes Course Combo: $30

Society members with I.D. receive a discount. Stop by the ticket booth for details.

Wild Connections

This is your chance to get up close and personal with an animal at the Zoo. Throughout the year, the Zoo offers a variety of experiences that typically include a feeding opportunity or behind-the-scenes experience. Tours are pre-determined and change seasonally.

Learn More

Poetry

Animals and nature have inspired poets for centuries. Since 2010, nearly 60 poems are found throughout the Zoo. They’re all about wildlife or nature and are part of a project called The Language of Conservation, presented by the Zoo in partnership with the Milwaukee Public Library. They were among five zoos and four libraries across the U.S. chosen to join this project that promotes poetry and nature.

The poems are displayed permanently throughout the Zoo in places where you might least expect to find them. Look for poetry sandblasted on rocks, projected with lights and displayed on the Peck Welcome Center boardwalk ceiling. The Zoological Society of Milwaukee contributed to the graphic design.

Find Poetry Around the Zoo

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