Como Park Zoo and Conservatory

Absolutely stunning Conservatory! We haven't been here in quite some time and almost forgot how beautiful it is! Definitely a MUST SEE when we take visitors around for a local tour. I'm so impressed that this place is still FREE! They only ask for donations of $4/adult and $2/child from those who can donate. This place has so much sentimental value to me, but even without my personal history, this place is one of Minnesota's best and brightest gems. They're gone out of their way to ensure the space is accessible to all, despite physical abilities or social/economic status.

W E D D I N G C E R E M O N Y at the C O N S E R V A T O R YWhat a romantic place to say your "I dos". We were in the Sunken Garden and it was magical. I was the lucky Officiant to lead the way to the furthest point. The fountain added so much, it should be a law that all weddings have moving water. Now, I don't think that this area was designed to host weddings. There is no room by the Bride & Groom for seats except for maybe 2-3. All the guests must stand. So a really short ceremony is a good idea. But then, there are all the flowers and greenery to provide stunning exquisite photo ops. L A N D M A R K W E D D I N G V E N U E

This is still one of the great free things available in the cities to do with visitors and family. The kids love to see the animals no matter what season we're in. They still have the seal show if you happen to catch it.There are a number of food options for snacks, drinks and cafeteria for meals. We often bring our own packed lunch and full up our water bottles. Don't forget to go through the conservatory and view all the seasonal flowers, plants and even bonsai trees. On the way out, remember to try to go on the classic merry go round if it's running.

Come Zoo is beautiful, with admission being donation it is the perfect place for anyone to go and have an amazing day! I make it a priority to go at least once a year. Last summer they had a dinosaur exhibit for an extra cost that was every dinosaur lovers dream. The botanical gardens are primarily indoors and are available all year!

What a fun outing to Como Park Zoo. 5 stars! This place is great and FREE...though they love for you to donate during your visit. Highly suggested. It's a great zoo and I love the mixture of indoor and outdoor things to see especially on a 50 degree and cloudy day. We saw lots of animals including: the sloth, poison dart frogs, polar bears, ostriches, sea lions, tiger, lions, armadillo, dall's sheep (big horn), fish, birds, and snakes...oh my! The cafe in the visitor center was packed and we even bought an adorable artic fox stuffed animal for our kiddo and a great way to support the zoo. Lots of parking options and great things around more so in summer months to keep your kiddos busy - playground, carousel, como town, etc.

Como Conservatory: 5/5Is there anywhere more magical than Como Conservatory?! As a plant lover, this is paradise. What an incredible free activity for us to enjoy! There are so many unique plants to check out and learn about, tons of cool bonsai to admire, and it's just so magical walking around in the greenhouse spaces. Truly a mood lifter and a great date night activity or somewhere to take visitors!Como Zoo: 4/5This recent visit was my first time to Como Zoo, and I haven't been to Minnesota Zoo, but I love the Omaha Zoo and have been to some other greats. This is definitely a free zoo - and that is AWESOME! I love that this is a resource for anyone to come learn about animals and bring their kids/family/friends without money being a factor.That being said, go in knowing this is a smaller scale, free zoo. You'll definitely see the "top" zoo animals here like lions, zebra, giraffes, gorillas, etc. And it's honestly pretty extensive for being free! Some of the exhibits are in better condition or space than others, but overall pretty dang good. We got through it pretty quickly as it's not huge, but honestly kind of a perk if you're just looking for an hour or two of entertainment. It was super quiet on a Monday evening, but would love to see it during weekend excitement and energy!

Felt obligated to update this review after 9 years and a bunch of visits. It's great that they're open year round, not only the Conservatory but plenty of things to see at the Zoo. Definitely provides an escape from winter and has a good flow for navigating the different exhibits indoors. There's a lot of animals to see; my family likes the Giraffes, Lions, Tigers and Polar Bears. The Zoo is a good walk, not overly spaced out and easy to navigate. Conservatory is really special, everytime I visit I wish I had time to just sit on a bench and read a book or something. There are so many plants to see and if you check the calendar there are often special exhibits. Something really refreshing about spending time there that you don't get at a mall or other indoor activiite

My original review below was during Covid. My current review 2024 was taking our granddaughter to the zoo on a beautiful October day.It is a small zoo but it has so much to offer and it's free. Donations are requested. It was more fun to observe our granddaughter enjoying all the animals and making animal noises. It's an awesome zoo for families.Original Review 2020-This zoo is one of the best treasures in the entire Twin Cities. We have visited several times but our recent visit was our best ever. We have young adultChildren and they loved this particular visit. No crowds and easy to park anywhere. The Zoo's COVID protocols are very efficient making you take a one way experience through the zoo and conservatory AND we felt we had the place to ourselves taking our time enjoying the animals, smells and environments. It's a small zoo but they have it so well laid out even during the pandemic.

I'm a geek so I like zoos, museums and attractions as stops on my trips. I didn't know if this would happen because it was raining for hours but it stopped and hour before I got there and then it was sunny/hot and very muggy. It's a zoo and conservatory with a nice carousel along with rides. The conservatory didn't interest because we have have a nice garden in town. Many displays were empty but there was enough sea and land animals to view. It's a large foot print and a lot of walking so be prepared. There is a cafe in the mail building for food and drinks but I didn't go in.

This is a must visit when in Minneapolis or St Paul. This is a must visit even if you're a local! Everything here is free, and it's easily the best free zoo I've ever visited. There's polar bears, gorillas, giraffes, buffalo, tigers, and even a Galápagos tortoise! They do performances throughout the day but check the schedule. Once done with the zoo, check out the fantastic garden buildings and the Japanese garden outside. Parking is free and ample but you might get stuck parking far.