Como Park Zoo and Conservatory in St. Paul, Minnesota sits in the middle of Como Regional Park and has been welcoming visitors since 1897, making it one of the oldest continuously operating zoos in the United States. What makes Como Park exceptional among American zoos is something almost unheard of in the industry: admission is always free, with donations encouraged. This policy, sustained by the city of St. Paul and Ramsey County with support from the Como Friends nonprofit, makes Como Zoo one of the most accessible and most-visited cultural institutions in the Twin Cities, drawing more than two million visitors per year. The zoo and conservatory together create one of the finest urban park destinations in the Midwest.
The Zoo
The Como Zoo has approximately 1,700 animals from 385 different species across a compact but well-organized footprint. The Gorilla Forest is the zoo’s flagship exhibit, housing western lowland gorillas in a spacious, naturalistic habitat with extensive outdoor space and indoor viewing areas. The gorilla troop at Como has been one of the most consistently popular exhibits at any Midwest zoo for years, and the animals are visible in active, natural behaviors from the well-positioned viewing areas.
The Polar Bear Odyssey exhibit, featuring polar bears, seals, and Arctic foxes in a habitat designed to reflect the Arctic coastal environment, is another major draw. The zoo’s giraffe feeding experience, offered seasonally, allows visitors to hand-feed lettuce to the zoo’s giraffes from an elevated platform, a reliably popular activity for families. The Primate Building, Africa Exhibit, and a variety of outdoor exhibits for hoofstock, birds, and smaller mammals round out a collection that, while not competing in scale with major metropolitan zoos, is well-curated and impressively maintained.
The Conservatory
The Como Park Conservatory is an equally wonderful attraction and is also free with donations encouraged. The Victorian-era glass conservatory, originally built in 1915, is a warm, plant-filled refuge particularly appreciated during Minnesota winters. The main Sunken Garden is changed seasonally with elaborate floral displays that are among the finest public horticultural displays in the Twin Cities. The Palm Dome, a soaring glass-enclosed space, houses tropical palms and other large plants that create a dramatic contrast with the Minnesota landscape visible through the glass walls.
The Fern Room, the Bonsai Collection, and the Tropical Encounters butterfly house are among the conservatory’s other highlights. The butterfly house, open seasonally, immerses visitors in a warm greenhouse filled with free-flying tropical butterflies, creating one of those simple pleasures that never gets old regardless of how many times you’ve experienced it.
Como Regional Park
Como Zoo and Conservatory are embedded within Como Regional Park, a beautifully maintained urban park that was among the first parks in the St. Paul parks system. The park features Lake Como, a historic boathouse with rental paddleboats and rowboats, picnic areas, a golf course, an outdoor amphitheater, and the Como Town Amusement Park, a small collection of family rides operating seasonally within the park. Walking, jogging, and cycling around Lake Como is a beloved Twin Cities activity, and the park’s mature trees and maintained landscapes create an exceptionally pleasant urban green space.
The park is particularly beautiful in early May when the cherry and crabapple trees around the conservatory are in full bloom, creating a display of pink and white blossoms that draws photographers and families throughout the bloom period. Similarly, the fall color around the lake in October is excellent, with a variety of hardwood species providing a full range of autumn hues.
Getting There
Como Park Zoo and Conservatory is located at 1225 Estabrook Drive in St. Paul, accessible by car, bike, and Twin Cities Metro Transit bus service from throughout the metro area. The Green Line light rail has a stop at Snelling Avenue not far from the park. Parking is available in several lots adjacent to the zoo and conservatory, and is also free. The zoo and conservatory are open daily year-round, with seasonal variations in hours. The admission-free policy applies year-round.
Como Park Zoo and Conservatory is one of the Twin Cities’ most genuinely democratic institutions, a place where anyone, regardless of budget, can have a quality family outing in an excellent urban park setting. The free admission makes it a natural destination for a casual weekday visit, a rainy day option, or a regular stop throughout the year. For visitors to the Twin Cities, it’s an easy and thoroughly worthwhile addition to any itinerary.
