Minnesota Zoo

About Minnesota Zoo

The Minnesota Zoo, formerly the Minnesota Zoological Garden, is an AZA-accredited zoo at 13000 Zoo Blvd in Apple Valley, Minnesota. It is one of only two state-supported zoos in the country, alongside the North Carolina Zoo, and operates as a Minnesota state agency rather than under a municipality or private organization, unlike most other zoos in the state and nationally. The zoo charges admission and sells annual memberships, and its grounds also house a high school, the School of Environmental Studies.

The zoo opened on May 22, 1978, and was considered revolutionary in its exhibit design at the time: built in a suburbanizing rural area with more room to work with, it was one of the first zoos to organize its animals by living environment rather than by species. That organizing principle still shapes the zoo today, which is arranged into six themed areas, including three walking trails ranging from about one to two miles.

History

The zoo's original layout, centered on the Medtronic Minnesota Trail, remained largely unchanged from its 1978 opening until a year-long renovation reopened it in 2007 with a "north woods" look. That renovation earned the zoo the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' 2008 Significant Achievement Award. Russia's Grizzly Coast, a $23 million, 2.5-acre exhibit themed around Russia's Pacific coast, opened in June 2008 as the most expensive project in the zoo's history at that point. The 3M Penguins of the African Coast exhibit premiered on July 9, 2011.

The zoo's muskox exhibit, part of the Northern Trail since opening, ended in 2021 after the breeding program was discontinued around 2011 due to the warming climate affecting the animals' health in summer; the last two muskoxen were euthanized in April 2021. More recently, the zoo has been undergoing phased waterfront construction affecting areas near the Macaque habitat, Upper Plaza, and other waterfront zones, with macaques temporarily moved off habitat during the work.

Exhibits and habitats

The Medtronic Minnesota Trail is a quarter-mile walk through more than fifteen exhibits featuring animals native to Minnesota, including American black bear, gray wolf, coyote, puma, Canada lynx, wolverine, North American beaver, and North American river otter, along with turtles, frogs, and salamanders displayed in a lodge-styled "trailhead" area.

The Northern Trail, three-quarters of a mile long, covers animals found north of the 45th parallel, including American bison, Amur tiger, Bactrian camel, red panda, Przewalski's horse, red-crowned crane, tufted deer, and Sichuan takin; it can also be viewed from the Treetop Trail, a converted section of the zoo's former monorail track that rises up to 32 feet into the tree canopy.

The Tropics Trail is an indoor trail built to evoke a tropical rainforest, home to species including Komodo dragon, Malayan tapir, golden lion tamarin, De Brazza's monkey, Bali myna, ring-tailed lemur, and Victoria crowned pigeon. Discovery Bay holds a combined 1.1 million gallons of water across several aquariums, with an interactive estuary and tide pool where guests can touch sharks, rays, sea stars, and sea anemones; animals here include California sea lion, sand tiger shark, Hawaiian monk seal, and leafy and weedy seadragons. A Wyland mural, "Our Ocean Family," was dedicated at the Tropics building entrance in 1997.

Russia's Grizzly Coast recreates habitats from Russia's Far East for sea otters, brown bears, Amur leopards, and wild boar. The seasonal Wells Fargo Family Farm, which opened in May 2000, lets visitors interact with goats, sheep, pigs, cows, chickens, and horses, and hosts a "Farm Babies" event each spring before closing for the fall. Near the entrance, an exhibit houses Japanese macaques, and an outdoor amphitheater hosts summer bird shows and an after-hours "Music in the Zoo" concert series. A conservation-themed carousel with 56 animal figures from around the world operates near the Northern Trail.

Animal highlights

At least 68 species are listed on the zoo's website. Native Minnesota wildlife on the Medtronic Minnesota Trail includes American black bear, gray wolf, coyote, North American porcupine, and Canada lynx. The Northern Trail adds larger animals such as American bison, Amur tiger, moose, pronghorn, Przewalski's horse, and red panda, while the indoor Tropics Trail houses Komodo dragon, Amur leopard-region species, De Brazza's monkey, golden lion tamarin, and a range of tropical birds including Bali myna and Victoria crowned pigeon.

Discovery Bay's aquatic collection includes California sea lion, Hawaiian monk seal, sand tiger shark, leopard shark, and southern stingray, while Russia's Grizzly Coast houses brown bear, Amur leopard, and sea otter. The Wells Fargo Family Farm rounds out the collection with domestic animals including goats, sheep, pigs, cows, chickens, and horses.

Conservation and programs

The Minnesota Zoo describes conservation as central to its mission, both through on-site programs and international partnerships. It runs a Pollinator Conservation Initiative, works on restoring freshwater mussels, and supports conservation of freshwater turtles, alongside broader conservation work carried out around the world. The zoo also positions its education and membership programs as part of that mission, framing visitor support as directly tied to its conservation and research efforts.

Planning your visit

As listed on the zoo's website, the zoo is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with members granted early access starting at 9 a.m. Online tickets are required for entry and can be purchased in advance or on the day of a visit; a parking fee applies for non-member ticket purchasers, paid at the time of ticket purchase.

The Treetop Trail is included with general admission and closes 30 minutes before the zoo closes each day, opening later during colder months to allow for snow removal. Play areas including the Bee Hive, Dino Hideout, Woodland Adventure, and a splash pad are seasonal. Food service is available through the Call of the Wild Food Court, open daily from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., along with the Penguin Café. Strollers rent for $12 (single) or $18 (double) per day, electric conveyance vehicles for $40 per day, and manual wheelchairs are free, all on a first-come, first-served basis with photo ID held as deposit. The zoo is serviced by Minnesota Valley Transit Authority's Route 440 bus line on weekdays. Because tickets, construction zones, and seasonal offerings change, visitors should confirm current details on the zoo's official website before visiting.