- Admission
- —
- Accreditation
- AZA
Association of Zoos and Aquariums
Everything below is directory information drawn from public sources and the zoo's own site.
Animals at Miller Park Zoo
We haven't confirmed this zoo's animal list yet.
Feathers & Fangs from visitors
What people who've been to Miller Park Zoo say
A Feather is something this zoo does well; a Fang is something it gets wrong. Left by people who've been, and read by us before they appear.
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About Miller Park Zoo
Miller Park Zoo is a zoo in Miller Park in Bloomington, Illinois. According to Wikipedia, it is administered by the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of Bloomington. A nonprofit, the Miller Park Zoological Society, supports the zoo. The society's website states that its mission is to function as a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the zoo and its rich history through fundraising, education and community outreach.
The zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Wikipedia states that it holds AZA membership. The Illinois tourism listing gives the address as 1020 S. Morris Ave., Bloomington, and notes that the zoo sits on historic Route 66.
The zoo describes itself on the society's website as open every day, with highlights that include greater flamingos, American alligators, river otters, red pandas, lemurs, a Galapagos tortoise, bald eagles, a Pallas' cat, snow leopards, gibbons and red wolves. Local news outlet WGLT reported in January 2026 that Rojo, the zoo's Sumatran tiger, had died at age 19 after treatment for renal disease.
History
Wikipedia traces the zoo to the nineteenth century. It states that the city first spent funds on animal care in Miller Park in 1891. The Illinois tourism listing states that the park began to house exotic animals after a traveling circus left behind a lion cub, and Wikipedia dates the cub's arrival to around 1900. Wikipedia records that the lion, known as Big Jim, died on March 26, 1912.
Wikipedia gives the following building milestones.
- 1913: ground was broken for an animal house, which opened to the public in 1914 and was later named the Katthoefer Animal Building.
- 1960: the Woodland Wing was built.
- Mid-1970s: a tropical rainforest exhibit and sea lion and otter pools were added.
- 1992: the entrance building and education center opened.
- 1993: the wolf exhibit opened.
- 1994: Wallaby Walkabout opened.
- 1995: the bald eagle exhibit opened.
- 1996: Animals of Asia opened.
- 1999: ZooLab opened.
- 2001: the Children's Zoo complex opened.
- 2004: the Tropical Rainforest exhibit opened.
Wikipedia states that these additions more than doubled the size of the zoo, and that a Junior Zoo Keeper program began in 1972.
In summer 2023 the zoo opened a South America exhibit, according to a post on the society's website.
Exhibits and habitats
The Illinois tourism listing describes the zoo as having many large indoor and outdoor exhibits, naming the Tropical America Rainforest, ZooLab, the Katthoefer Animal Building, Wallaby WalkAbout, the Children's Zoo and Animals of Asia.
The society's website describes the South America exhibit, which opened in summer 2023, as housing two Galapagos tortoises, two giant anteaters and two Chilean pudus. The post notes that the Galapagos giant tortoise is the largest living species of tortoise.
Other animals named as highlights on the society's website include:
- Snow leopards
- A Pallas' cat
- Red pandas
- Lemurs and gibbons
- River otters
- Red wolves
- Bald eagles and greater flamingos
- American alligators
The tourism listing adds that the zoo offers zookeeper interaction opportunities.
Conservation and programs
A newsletter post on the society's website describes the AZA Species Survival Plan program, which the AZA established in 1981 to help ensure the survival of selected threatened or endangered species in zoos and aquariums. The post states that 49 of the species at Miller Park Zoo are covered by the program.
The society's website also lists education and awareness content under a Wild Connections heading. Posts there cover topics including red pandas, guanacos, pollinator habitat loss, Illinois wetlands and Earth Day. One post announces that a ring-tailed lemur named King Julian moved to the AZA-accredited Sunset Zoological Park in Manhattan, Kansas, to be introduced to two other ring-tailed lemurs.
The society raises funds through memberships, donations and a ZOOdoption program. Its annual ZooDo gala includes live entertainment, animal encounters and a silent auction at the zoo, followed by dinner and a live auction at the historic Miller Park Pavilion.
Planning your visit
The zoo is open every day from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., as listed on the Miller Park Zoological Society's website. The society's website links to the City of Bloomington parks site for visitor information.
Membership options are listed on the society's website, and admission details are on the city's zoo page.
The tourism listing gives a zoo phone number of (309) 434-2250.
The historic Miller Park Pavilion, where the society holds the dinner portion of its annual gala, is in the same park. The tourism listing notes the zoo's location on historic Route 66 and its zookeeper interaction opportunities.
What we haven't confirmed
Everything above came from public sources. These specifics we haven't stood behind yet:
- Current admission details and any seasonal schedule changes, including holiday closures
- Parking
- Whether sun bears, reindeer and harbor seals, named in the state tourism listing, are currently on exhibit
- Whether the zoo has a tiger after Rojo's death
- Current size of the zoo and current animal count
Miller Park Zoo compared with nearby zoos
How Miller Park Zoo lines up against the closest zoos we have details for — useful if you're deciding between them for the same day out.
| Zoo | Distance | Admission | Hours | Size | AZA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miller Park ZooThis zooBloomington, IL | — | — | — | — | Yes |
| Peoria ZooPeoria, IL | 34 mi | $12.50 | 10am – 5pm | — | Yes |
| Wildlife Prairie ParkHanna City, IL | 42 mi | $17 | Daily 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM (Animal Trails 9–4); Fridays Jun–Sep open until 9 PM (Wild Nights). No admittance within 90 min of closing. Closed New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve. | 1800 acres | No |
| Scovill ZooDecatur, IL | 45 mi | $10 | Fall hours (Aug 10 – Oct 12): Mon–Fri 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM; Sat–Sun 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM. Grounds close one hour after last admission. Closed early (3 PM) on Sept 19. | — | Yes |
Distances are straight-line. A dash means we haven't confirmed that detail yet, not that the zoo lacks it.
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
Miller Park Zoo: common questions
Is Miller Park Zoo AZA accredited?
Yes. The zoo is accredited by the AZA, and Wikipedia states that it holds AZA membership.
Who runs Miller Park Zoo?
Wikipedia states that the zoo is administered by the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of Bloomington. The Miller Park Zoological Society is the supporting nonprofit.
What is the newest exhibit?
The society's website describes a South America exhibit that opened in summer 2023 with Galapagos tortoises, giant anteaters and Chilean pudus.
What are the zoo's hours?
As listed on the Miller Park Zoological Society's website, the zoo is open every day from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Does Miller Park Zoo have a tiger?
WGLT reported in January 2026 that the zoo's Sumatran tiger, Rojo, who arrived in 2017, had died at age 19.
Where is Miller Park Zoo?
The Illinois tourism listing gives the address as 1020 S. Morris Ave., Bloomington, Illinois.
Something wrong here? Tell us — we correct in place, with a dated note.