Menominee Park Zoo

About Menominee Park Zoo

Menominee Park Zoo is a small zoo in Menominee Park on the shore of Lake Winnebago in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The City of Oshkosh describes it as approximately eight acres, carrying between 30 and 50 animals during the season, and welcoming more than 100,000 visitors a year. Admission is free. The city's page credits a donation from Tom and Penny Harenburg for making free entry possible.

The zoo is seasonal, typically open from late May to late September. As listed on the zoo's website, the 2026 season ran from May 23 through September 27, with the zoo open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Wikipedia states that the zoo surrounds a lagoon at the center of Menominee Park and that peacocks roam freely on the grounds.

The zoo is not accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

The zoo's website is published by the Friends of the Oshkosh Zoo and describes the Oshkosh Zoological Society as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Wikipedia states that the zoo is operated by the Oshkosh Zoological Society. The City of Oshkosh also publishes a zoo page within its Parks section, and its exhibits page states that the parks department purchased the zoo's elk herd in 2014.

History

Two sources, Wikipedia and the Visit Oshkosh tourism site, date the zoo to 1945. Visit Oshkosh states that it was established on 3.8 acres within Menominee Park. The current size of about eight acres is given by the City of Oshkosh.

The exhibit pages on the city's site record a series of permanent exhibits built in the 2000s and 2010s. The elk exhibit opened to the public in April 2007, and the river otter exhibit opened in May 2013. The city's pages list the bald eagle exhibit as completed in 2021. The city's page states that several major permanent exhibits are planned, to house native species that will live at the zoo year-round.

Visit Oshkosh also lists a new bear and fox exhibit with a pond, digging zones and dens.

Exhibits and habitats

Visit Oshkosh describes the collection as native species plus a few exotic species and various domestic animals. The city states that the majority of the animals are leased, which allows a different variety of animals each year. Five permanent exhibits are listed as complete: wolf, elk, otter, eagle and American black bear.

Native animals. The city's exhibits page provides a profile for each resident and notes how and when several arrived.

• American black bear. A bear named Mr. Reeves was acquired in November 2024 from the Anchorage Zoo. The page states that he was born in Alaska in January 2024.
• American elk. The page lists five elk, four females and one male. It names Mama, who arrived in 2007, and notes a 2014 purchase of elk from Glacier Ridge Animal Farm in Van Dyne, Wisconsin.
• Gray wolves. Two wolves, Loki and Freya, were acquired in 2020.
• River otters. The page names an otter called Shirley, who arrived in 2013, and pictures her with a second otter, Laverne.
• Bald eagle. A male eagle named Cayuga arrived in 2021 from the Cornell University Wildlife Health Clinic in Ithaca, New York. The page states that he has been under human care since 2015, after a gunshot wound resulted in the partial amputation of his left wing.
• Red foxes. The page lists a fox named Mellie, who arrived in 2020, and two foxes named Joey and Apollo, which it says were rescued by Izzy's Pond Animal Rehab in South Carolina and arrived in 2024.
• Turkey vulture. A vulture named Zeke arrived in 2002 and has a permanent wing injury.
• Skunks. The page lists Ollie and Otis, adopted in July 2025, and Pork, who arrived in 2019.
• Ring-necked pheasant, which the page describes as introduced to the United States from Asia.

Other animals. The exhibits page also profiles an African spurred tortoise named Dash, acquired in 2000, two Russian tortoises named Nadia and Roman, a blue and gold macaw named Keyahna acquired in 2012, two chinchillas named Felix and Oscar acquired in 2010, two hedgehogs named Huck and Sawyer, peafowl, and alpacas and goats.

Because so many animals are leased or rehomed from other facilities, the species on view can change between seasons. The zoo's website is the place to confirm the current list.

Conservation and programs

The zoo's website describes on-site education programs at the zoo and off-site outreach programs in the community, along with events through the season. Visit Oshkosh lists family events including Snooze at the Zoo and Zooloween Boo, and the same listing states that educational programs are offered.

Several individual animals at the zoo came from rescue or rehabilitation settings. The exhibits page records that the bald eagle Cayuga came from a university wildlife clinic and that two of the red foxes were rescued by a rehabilitation organization in South Carolina. The zoo's website also lists membership, an animal adoption program and direct donations as ways to support it.

Planning your visit

The zoo is open seasonally, typically from late May to late September, as listed on the zoo's website. The website listed the 2026 season as May 23 through September 27, with daily hours of 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Dates for the next season are posted on the zoo's website.

The Lakefly Cafe is listed on the zoo's website, and Visit Oshkosh describes it as offering snacks, drinks and souvenirs. Visit Oshkosh also lists a new train ride that leaves every 20 minutes, with its own separate fee. The City of Oshkosh lists rules for visitors: no bicycles, rollerblades, skateboards, pets, carry-in food or smoking. Wikipedia states that the zoo is served by the GO Transit bus service.

The zoo sits inside Menominee Park, which Wikipedia describes as the city's largest park. Admission to the zoo is free, and any fees for extras such as the train ride are listed on the zoo's website.