FLORA & FAUNA This fabulous public zoo in Saint Paul is fun, multi-faceted, and FREE! When researching things to do in the Twin Cities, Como Park Zoo & Conservatory popped up on numerous "best of" lists, including best places to bring kids, best free attractions, and other recommended activities. The family and I came here in early June, and we had a lovely time. Parking is free but lots fill up quickly and street spots are on a first-come basis, so the longer you wait, the further you'll have to walk.  My advice is to get here early to avoid the gauntlet of busses filled with school groups, summer camps, and other families heading to the zoo. They suggest a voluntary donation of $5/kid and $8/adult; we chipped in $20 for our family of four.  By comparison, Brookfield Zoo in Illinois charges $30/adult and $21/kid....the 4 of us would have paid $100 PLUS parking.  The Shedd Aquarium in downtown Chicago is even pricier, so this was a welcome relief. We saw giraffes, a gorilla, polar bears, zebras, fishes, turtles, colorful dart frogs, a tiger, and lots more.  Within the zoo is a small amusement park with a handful of kiddie rides and a 'Galaxy' model roller coaster, as well as a splendid carousel outside the park that's $4/pp.  All rides are open seasonally from May-Sept. The sea lion show seemed mid.  They made a big deal of it (not to mention amassing a huge crowd) and all I saw were some volunteers trying to complete some goofy task faster than a sea lion would.  There was a lot of narration but very little actual activity from what I could tell.  yawn. We couldn't get anything to eat or drink outside of the visitor center cafe.  None of the snack stands were open (despite it being 11:45) and every pop machine was either unplugged, sold out, or all the plastic bottles were removed for environmental reasons.  Thank goodness we packed snacks for the kiddos. The conservatory was breathtaking: lush jungles with funky plants like the Ipecac tree, air potato, chocolate, cacti, and aloe.  We encountered a logjam of people near the fruit tree section with everyone stopping to admire fig, papaya, coffee, and sugarcane plants. The Marjorie McNeely Conservatory was home to a legendary 81" tall corpse flower named 'Frederick' in 2025.  These plants, considered some of the rarest and smelliest on earth, bloom once every few years and last for only 1-2 days.  Witnessing this in person takes incredible (lucky) timing or tremendous patience. 'Horace', their latest corpse flower, displayed his magnificent burgundy bloom from 6/7/26 to 6/9/26.  We missed it by less than a week!  These generate quite a crowd, with lines stretching for hours and people waiting outside to view (and smell) a once-in-a-lifetime botanical event. * TL;DR * A cool zoo, an even cooler conservatory, and the coolest part?  You don't even have to crack open your wallet. Spending a day at Como Park Zoo is perfect for those wishing to embark on budget-friendly adventures.  Pack a lunch, wear comfortable walking shoes, and get here around opening to take advantage of decent parking.  The animals appeared to be well taken care of, and the grounds were clean. The conservatory is stunning although the narrow pathways can get crowded during peak hours.  We loved our time spent here and would highly recommend Como Park Zoo & Conservatory for families or solo travelers seeking to kill a few hours in the Twin Cities. read more

See all

Beautiful place. Easy to walk around. You gift your admission upon entry. Nice little cafe and the entrance has some amazing lily pads. It made for a wonderful stop in the late morning. They also have a carousel on property read more

See all

This was such an amazing stop for our layover in St Paul. The zoo animals were really well taken care of and seemed highly engaged. The polar bear was adorable! They also have a beautiful greenhouse and some amusement park rides for kids. You can definitely spend 1-2 hours here or 5-6 hours! read more

See all

What a wonderful zoo and conservatory! Small, but well-kept and has some unique exhibits. Cool bonsai tree exhibit!

Only have good things to say about this free zoo in the Como Park neighborhood of St Paul! The zoo is not overly crowded with animals and they seem to be well taken care of. The zoo has a beautiful conservatory, Japanese gardens, kids rides and even an old fashioned carousel! Plenty of free parking available and even picnic grounds to enjoy! They are open year round and free admission for all but of course donations are appreciated! read more

See all

Love visiting the conservatory! Free to visit with voluntary donation. It is well kept and can spend lots of time here inside and outside walking around. There is a parking lot, but can fill up fast on days with good weather. read more

Como Park Zoo and Conservatory - Zoos Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

It is no wonder that I love to visit the Conservatory in the dead of winter. There is no better feeling than going there when it's below zero, and your body does not even remember what humidity feels like. Sure, going to Hawaii is great, but if you want something closer and thousands of dollars less expensive (it's actually free, but they suggest you give them a small donation upon entry), I recommend a quick trip to the indoor conservatory. Save the zoo for a nice summer day. My two favorite areas are the topics, and the Sunken Garden. The tropics is the place to go for a hot, steamy reprieve from the Minnesota winter. It has lots of fun swimming animals, a sloth that is about as lively as a stuffed bear, but the biggest attraction, for me, is the incredible hot, moist area. But that's just one area of the Conservatory. Don't miss the larger part that includes jungle-type foliage, wonderful plants, and a display of orchids. We were there the weekend after the orchid show, but we were treated to the award winning and amazingly beautiful orchids. The highlight however, is the seasonal changes that take place in the Sunken Garden. This is an ever changing variety of seasonal flowers and can cheer up the crankiest of us who are just trying to make it through to Spring. read more

See all

Visit here at least once a year Love that it is feee to the public although it's nice to give a donation so it helps maintain the grounds Lots of good animal exhibits and the sunken garden is just beautiful every season! The conservatory dome is the perfect place to visit in the heart of winter , I'm talking negative temperatures because the dome is humid and hot (think Florida) because it helps the tropical plants Fun fact- Valentine's Day they do dinners in the gardens but sell out fast! read more

Como Park Zoo and Conservatory - Sunken garden - Zoos Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

See all

While visiting family && friends in MN, we happened to visit the Como Park Zoo. It was a little rainy && chilly the day that we visited, but good thing they have multiple indoor facilities to walk thru to see animals && gain knowledge about the different animals at the zoo. There were multiple knowledgeable volunteers that were more than welcome to give up their wealth of knowledge at the different enclosures. We were able to see a surplus of different animals, which was welcoming. We also wandered into the conservatory area as well. Which was filled with loads of beautiful greenery && colorful flowers. I would suggest this to anyone who wants to see some beautiful animals && greenery! It was a well spent day! read more

See all

I had never been to the Conservatory before so we decided to go here. It was a gold day outside but so beautiful and warm inside! Photos don't do this place justice but the flowers and plants were so beautiful! The hours of love and care that go into keeping these fabulous plants, flowers and trees alive and growing healthy are incredible! Definitely worth the trip! read more

See all

One of the many free attractions available in the twin cities that you should take advantage of! Both the observatory and zoo are great places to wander and awe. This area is also often used to host sister city events such as the cherry blossom and Obon lantern festivals. I think many parents probably come here as a good place to test how interested their kids are without feeling bad for their pocketbook. I myself attend the Obon festival and although I didn't find it all that great I still think the observatory and zoo are places to see. For the Obon festival, I would say there were too many merchants selling kimonos and not a lot of variety. I also saw one vendor selling knock off blind boxes and labubus without disclosing they're inauthentic. The merchants selling hard goods kinda felt like a garage sale. Perhaps it's just not for me. Unfortunately with all the rain fall (and ironically it also rained during the event) the algae bloom was very strong. One thing I did enjoy is part of the observatory was open and it was pretty unique to see as it's usually closed this late during their normal business hours so you get to bask in the twilight ambiance inside with the greenery. read more

Como Park Zoo and Conservatory - Observatory at night - Zoos Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

See all

What a cute little zoo- and it was FREE! It was really clean, had a variety of animals and exhibits and a beautiful arboretum! There is a little janky amusement area for kids with rides (tickets are an extra cost) but even that was well kept and staffed , albeit outdated. There's a smoothie stand that was quite tasty! Overall it was a nice experience and we were happy to leave a donation! read more

See all

Supa fun! Saw lots of animals for free and had fun! Only spent around 30-40$ on food, Photo Booth, and some goodies. There's also shows;) although the rides cost money and it's pretty expensive. But we only came for the animals. (There's also a mega greenhouse) read more

Como park has been a go-to spot for my family and I! Great spot for friends to take a day trip to as well. The zoo is super cute with many different species. Entry is free, but donations are recommended. My favorite part are the botanical gardens! It's a great spot to check out during the cold months too -- it feels like summer year round. Plenty of on-site parking as well. They have a cafe too! read more

See all

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. read more

See all

I've been to this zoo two times and I've enjoyed it both times - admission is FREE which is amazing. The parking can get a little full depending on the day and time you are going. I was pleasantly surprised by the different kinds of animals they have - giraffes, orangutan, zebra, wolves, monkeys, tigers, lions. The conservatory is also very beautiful - not a bad way to spend a morning or afternoon read more

See all

A charming little zoo. The Japanese Garden is a nice little walk and on the way you can see a Zen Garden and bonsai trees. The Conservatory has some interesting plants and a nice koi pond. They are doing a little remodeling, so be warned that the area near the big cats has some parts blocked. They have some cool recycled art right now too. read more

See all

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. read more

Spent two hours here and I feel like we saw most of the animals. Some of the habitats are small but everything was clean and the animals look healthy. There are rescues. A lot of the exhibits have glass so you're not taking photos through wire cages which is nice. The zoo is located in a beautiful park area. I especially enjoyed the indoor area for the primates as some came right up the windows and posed for us. read more

Como Park Zoo and Conservatory - Zoos Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

See all

Worth the visit if you are around the area! It's free entry and there are some really nice spots to sit down and relax. Having the lake is a good option too. There are a lot of animals, but their plant conservatory was a bit small and narrow. Perfect to bring your kids or just to relax in a weekend afternoon. For a free park I would say it was clean but definitely room for improvement (just in the zoo part, the green areas were fine) read more

See all

Como Zoo is 5 stars. Admission is FREE with a suggested donation if possible. This zoo boasts gorgeous buildings, an array of animals, rich history, a carousel and even a small amusement park. This is the perfect weekend activity. Como does an excellent job of educating, they have volunteers accessible for questions. The zoo grounds are very well kept and clean. The zoo seems to be well staffed as there are many staff/volunteers to be seen throughout your visit. The Marjorie McNeely Conservatory immerses you into a tropical world of beautiful flora and architectural design. I highly recommend you visit Como Park Zoo & Conservatory. read more

See all

What a fun museum! The only other free museum I've been to is the Smithsonian zoo. Why aren't more zoos free?? I went during the week, on a chilly winter day so there weren't many others out. It felt like I had the whole zoo to myself! I liked that there were volunteers hanging around the animals, providing fun facts and answering questions. My favorite were the polar bears. I've never seen polar bears outdoors in actual snow! I could've stayed admiring them all day! read more

See all

This is a great place. It is free but please make a donation. Plenty of parking (free) around the park area. Beautiful park grounds. We saw several people brought a picnic lunch and ate on the lawn near the entrance. Lots of animals to see in nature like habitats. There are video screens with names and information about a lot of the animals. Our favorites were the polar bears, big cats and gorillas. There were docents here and there with good information. They do educational talks throughout the day. The bird and garden conservatory is beautiful. A little gem in St. Paul. read more

Como Park Zoo and Conservatory - Zoos Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

See all

Como Conservatory: 5/5 Is 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: 4/5 This 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! read more

See all

Great place! Free admission! Plants & animals are nice! Carousel was fun! Easy walking. read more

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. read more

See all

Como check out a very cool conservatory and a pretty cool zoo. Before heading to the Mall of America, we hit up this awesome Zoo and Conservatory. I forgot we made plans to visit here but was 100% on board to still check it out. When we arrived, it was busy as all get out. There were a bunch of Pride events going on in the park area. There were a few events going on in and around the Conservatory. We had a heck of a hard time parking and I was just about to give up when a spot opened up! We headed in and checked out the conservatory first. I won't go into too much detail but the conservatory is beautiful. I wasn't aware there were was a Japanese Garden attached to it. Tim was super stoked to check it out and I gotta say, it was gorgeous and possibly my favorite part of the whole area. We headed over to the Zoo and man, what a zoo it was. With it being a Saturday, free admission and all the events going on in the park, the place was swarming with so many people. We were able to see pretty much all the animals and exhibits but it was a struggle with the crowds. In spite of that, we enjoyed our visit and I would very much like to go back on a slower day (and when we didn't have Mall of America plans) so I could really take in the zoo and properly see the animals. This is an abbreviated review compared to my normal ramblings but sometimes its better to see something than to read about it. They do have a penny press machine and some medallions to buy right outside the gift shop. The penny press supplies the penny for you. I, of course, got all that I could. read more

See all

The Como Park Zoo and Conservatory are such wonderful places to stroll on a beautiful day. Even in the winters , it's a sniff of summer inside the tropical and humid Conservatory. There is no admission price to go in. They have a place for donations as you walk in. I went today to try and catch the Cherry Blossoms trees outside, but they were yet to fully bloom. My favorite part of the Conservatory is the Tropical Encounter Room. It's humid, has many tropical plants, sea life, and reptiles. The best part is Chloe the sloth who is free to move about as she pleases, on the days she is out and not resting indoors. There are also yellow birds that are free flying inside. Plenty of free parking all around, Lots and street parking. Today on a beautiful Saturday afternoon with many Prom goers taking pictures, it was difficult to find a spot. Como Lake is another area to walk to from Zoo. The Conservatory also had a cafe that was serving Starbucks coffee and espresso drinks along with many food items and plenty of patio seating. read more

See all

As visitors from Iowa, the fact that the conservatory and zoo were both free (Donations accepted) was a plus! The park and conservatory were absolutely beautiful!! We loved all the plants and wildlife. Was a little disappointed with the zoo. It was hot that day and most of the animals were either hiding or sleeping. Was excited to see the polar bears and the sloth but they apparently weren't available? I We would definitely revisit and recommend to others. read more

See all

I love the conservatory! My favorite time of year to visit is in the winter when it's cold and dreary outside. The plants are blooming and it feels tropical, which is such as nice respite from winter. I got married on Valentine's Day, and had wedding pictures taken at the conservatory with fabulous floral displays. read more

Free admission n parking, can get busy on the weekend. they take donations. Large zoo with plenty to see. Play area with rides for kids, pay to ride. Has playset w splash pad but closed when we were there. Food n beverage for purchase in indoor cafe. Large indoor garden... japanese outside garden too. Ride the carousel, kool volunteer folks there. A top must visit in stpaul. Spend the day. read more

This is a must see if you're in the Twin Cities! The conservatory is very well done and has rooms filled with diverse vegetation. My favorite was hands-down the Sunken Garden. This room is updated seasonally, and I got to see the spring flower show! There are many interesting facts scattered around, making it a fun learning experience. There are talks with gardeners, and informative guides around the conservatory. The zoo is wonderful and each exhibit is very well kept. I got lucky that all of the animals were out and very active! There are programs throughout the day, including animal talks, feeding sessions, and shows. I got a chance to feed giraffes ($5) and attend the Blaze Sparky Show to watch residency seals do tricks and learn all about animal care. This zoo is FREE and it's definitely worth visiting and donating to! read more

See all

The Conservatory is a beautiful place with many flora and fauna. For the last few visits to the area, we've gone there to just stroll around. I look forward to continuing this tradition! read more

See all

Really disappointed by our experience. If you have a disability and need to borrow a wheel chair, they charge you $10. If you want an electric chair, it's $30. It gets worse, half of the automatic doors in the park are not working. So you pay for a uncomfortable wheel chair and you don't have access to many exhibits. Brought it to their attention and they just stated, "we are aware." They already took my money for the wheel chair so I guess they weren't really concerned. read more

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! read more

See all

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 Y What 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 read more

No memorial for Mumford is crazy!!! Poor boy was put down and no memorial! The cat sanctuary was so quiet without him! His presence will be missed read more

Came for the seal show and got a lecture on carbon footprint garbage. Nothing about seals and all about politics. Sad

I love this place!! The conservatory has three main sections. The section with international spices and edible plants is great. Not something I was expecting but it was so cool to see an actual growing pineapple, pomegranate, cacao pods, etc! The zoo is also well organized and open all year round. The entire place is free admission. I highly recommend support this endeavor. read more

See all

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 read more