• 1892  —  Washington Park Location
• Late 1950's   —  Bluemound Road Location

10001 West Blue Mound Road
Milwaukee, Wisconsin   53226

• May 1 through September 30
   Daily: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. / Sundays & Holidays 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• October 1 through April 30
   - 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• November 1 to March 31
   Adults: $9.75; Children (3 to 12): $6.75; Car parking: $10
   Seniors (over 60 ): $8.25; Bus parking: $14

• April 1 to October 31
   Adult: $11.25; Children (3 to 12): $8.25; Car parking: $10
   Seniors (over 60): $10.25; Bus parking: ;$14

• Milwaukee County residents with I.D. receive $1.75 off regular Zoo admission everyday. Every Wednesday, Milwaukee County residents with I.D. are admitted at a reduced rate of $6.00 for adults and $3.50 for children.

• County owned and operated
• Supported by Zoological Society of Milwaukee County

Divisions include: Animal Management and Health, Administration and Finance, Public Affairs and Services, and Operations.

All animal buildings and exhibits are accessible to the handicapped. The Zoo adheres to the ADA.

The Zoological Society's Education Department provides guided and self-guided tours to school and youth groups, day camps for individual youth, family programs and adult workshops.

200 acres

The original Zoo was designed by the following: the Milwaukee County Planning Department (now called Architectural Engineering), the Milwaukee County Landscape Architect, the professional Zoo staff and private architecture firms.

To inspire public understanding, support and participation in global conservation of animal species and their natural environment by creating a unifying bond between our visitors and the living earth.

The Milwaukee County Zoo began in the 1890's as a miniature mammal and bird display in a barn at what is now Washington Park. By 1902, the Zoo had 23 acres of land and 800 animals. In 1937, when all parks went under the jurisdiction of the Milwaukee County Park Commission, the Zoo had grown to 38 acres. In the 1950's, the Zoo was moved to its present 200-acre location bordered by Highway 45, Blue Mound Road , Highway 100 and Interstate 94.

The Zoo receives funding through a cooperative effort of Milwaukee County and the Zoological Society of Milwaukee County.

Zoo Pride is the volunteer auxiliary of the Zoological Society. Its members serve as goodwill ambassadors at the Zoo and in the community. Started in 1975, Zoo Pride shares a deep commitment to the Milwaukee County Zoo and its residents.

It began in the 1890's, as an informal group of clubs and associations. The Society started by buying animals and securing Zoo animal donations.

Today, the Society helps Milwaukee promote one of its finest assets by funding animal acquisitions, fundraising campaigns for building renovations and improvements, new exhibits and financial support for research and educational programs.

This program began in July, 1982, as a fund-raiser.   Donations from the annual "sponsorships" are used for exhibit improvement and enhancement for a personally selected animal for one year.

The newly renovated Florence Mila Borchert Big Cat Country was unveiled in the summer of 2005. This $7.2 million project provides larger and more natural looking exhibit spaces for these magnificent felines and enhances their quality of life. The exhibits showcase new residents such as jaguars and young African lions.

Created in the early 1990’s, Apes of Africa is an exhibit of Western lowland gorillas and bonobos. Designed to closely represent the West African rain forest, it provides gorillas and bonobos with surroundings similar to their natural environment. The Zoo is now home to 21 bonobos, which is the largest captive group of this species in the world.

The primate building, fondly called the Monkey House by many, was the Zoo's first building. In 1993, the building reopened to the public after extensive renovation as Primates of the World. It houses many of the most popular residents at the Zoo, including orangutans, siamangs and spider monkeys.

The Primate Complex was a $10.7 million project equally funded by the Milwaukee County Zoo and the Zoological Society of Milwaukee County.

The renovated Aquatic & Reptile Center (ARC) officially opened to the public in May, 1995, and features a 28,000-gallon Pacific Coast Aquarium housing a variety of sharks and fish.

Several years ago, the Zoo’s spider monkeys moved into a new home in the form of an outdoor extension to the Primates of the World Building. Inspired by the ruins of a city once the brilliance of the ancient Mayan world, this exhibit doubled its space for these animals, providing a true-to-life rain forest environment.

Ostriches, African lions, hyenas, zebras, black rhinos, giraffes and hippopotamus are among the African wildlife featured.

The Zoo simulates nature by seeming to exhibit predator and prey in the same enclosure. However, the prey is protected from its stalkers by invisible dry moats weaved between the foreground and background exhibit areas.

In the African Waterhole, antelope, Chapman’s zebra, ostrich and stork live in close proximity to the African lions. Also, the African savanna displays the cheetah overlooking the Thompson's gazelles, impalas and crowned cranes.

In 2006, the Zoo unveiled a renovated Giraffe Exhibit – Miller Brewing Company Giraffe Experience. The exhibit features expanded indoor and outdoor spaces for the animals, and the rare opportunity for visitors to get face to face with our three reticulated giraffes. The public also can feed these animals for a fee.

In the Family Farm’s octagonal barn, you can see six varieties of dairy cattle in the cow barn; discover more about the dairy industry through hands-on experiences in the learning center; and sample and/or purchase various dairy products in the dairy store.

These dynamic presentations now take place in our newly renovated Raptory Theater.

Experience a ride on an authentic, turn-of-the-century classic carousel. Detailed, hand-crafted Bradley and Kaye figures including giraffes, zebras, ostriches and tigers are patterned from originals dating back to the early 1900's.

The carousel is located across from Zoo Terrace near the train station (handicapped accessible).

During the summer of 2008, the Milwaukee County Zoo invites visitors to get “in touch” with two of the most fascinating, yet sometimes misunderstood, animals found in our oceans today: sting rays and sharks.

Sting Ray and Shark Reef opens to the public May 24, 2008 in the Zoo’s Otto Borchert Special Exhibits Building, and features an 11,000-gallon interactive touch pool with sting rays, and a 6,000-gallon touch pool displaying several different species of sharks.

The touch pool in the Zoo’s exhibit also features several different species of rays – all of which are barbless, so there is no fear to touch or feed these animals during your visit. These rays are as soft and as fun to touch as ever; feeling like velvet as they glide effortlessly through the tepid water.

Food also is available for purchase, as the animals are fed several times throughout the day. So, get “in touch” this summer at the Zoo. We’ll see you at the pool!

Sting Ray and Shark Reef is $2 after regular Zoo admission.

The sea lions delight audiences with their entertaining and educational show, four times daily, seven days a week. This 20-minute show features California sea lions and harbor seals.