Summer Camps – Registration Now Open!
Como Park Zoo & Conservatory is excited to announce that our summer camps will be back in 2024! Our camp season will run from June 10th through August 30th. Click HERE for all the information!
Como Park Zoo & Conservatory is excited to announce that our summer camps will be back in 2024! Our camp season will run from June 10th through August 30th. Click HERE for all the information!
Group tours of the Zoo and Conservatory are now being offered. These tours provide behind-the-scenes access. This is the perfect opportunity to learn more about everything that goes on at Como!
Zoo Tour
Rise and shine with Como’s animals for your own special experience before zoo hours. During your two-hour tour, you’ll hear stories from Como’s fascinating 125-year history, create a unique activity for our polar bears, have an encounter with a giraffe, and meet one of the many zookeepers who make Como Zoo a world-class facility. Don’t miss this opportunity to see the Zoo wake up around you – book your tour today!
Cost: $40/person (minimum 10 participants, maximum 40 participants)
Time: 8:30 AM – 10:30 AM
Conservatory Tour
Travel through the many gardens of the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory as you explore the Jewel of Como and learn about our rich history. Go behind-the-scenes and uncover how the garden staff keep the conservatory looking lush and green all year long and produce the many spectacular and beloved Sunken Garden flower shows. This tour is a unique opportunity to “peek behind the curtains” of the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory and get your daily dose of green!
Cost: $20/person (minimum 10 participants)
Duration: 90 minutes
Como Park Zoo & Conservatory is partnering with Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) institutions across the globe for Gorillas on the Line, a cell phone recycling initiative. Looking around your own home is a great way to start; almost everyone has one or two outdated devices laying around. Visitors can recycle their old cell phones, small electronic devices, and battery chargers (no laptops) in the collection box at Como’s Visitor Center. The campaign at Como kicks off during the Hop Into Spring Weekend.
Taking small steps, such as recycling old small electronics, can have an impact on gorilla conservation. Coltan (a mineral compound used to manufacture small electronics, cell phones, tablets, and battery chargers) is hand-mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is prime gorilla habitat. The deforestation and mining of coltan continues to displace these critically endangered species.
Recycling old phones and electronics raises money to directly support gorilla conservation initiatives through Gorilla SAFE programs.
Spring is almost here…can you feel it in the air? Show your excitement by jumping up and down…or how about hopping? March 23 & 24 we celebrate spring with the opening of the Spring Flower Show and a special “Hop Into Spring” weekend with games, crafts, Blaze Sparky Shows, and special guests: Children’s Theatre Company!
Como Zoo is thrilled to announce the birth of its very first Nyala calf, born Saturday, January 6th to mom, Stevie. The 8.1 pound female calf named Meadow was standing within thirty five minutes and is now taking-in the oohs and aahs of Como visitors.
Sadly, Stanley passed away suddenly on Sunday, January 28, from what is believed to be complications following oral surgery. As a tribute to Stanley, the baby was named Meadow. The name Stanley means “stony meadow”. Stanley took to fatherhood instantly. Stanley and Meadow loved to lay next to one sharing a straw bed. He was a gentle soul with a big personality, and he will be missed by everyone who met him.
Stanley and Stevie arrived at Como in 2023 on a Species Survival Plan (SSP) breeding recommendation. You can read more about SSPs here: https://www.aza.org/species-survival-plan-programs
Top photo credit: Steve Solmonson
Bottom photos credit: Susannah Baudhuin
Como’s the cool place to be this Presidents’ Day weekend for “PolarPalooza”, 10am – 4pm February 17, 18, & 19.
Como Park Zoo & Conservatory & The Compassion Museum are delighted to bring the “What Is Compassion” art installation to Como through Sunday, February 18th.
The “What Is Compassion” exhibit allows individuals to explore the meaning of compassion while immersed in various surroundings throughout the Twin Cities. Developed in partnership with local artist Harper Steinbach, this interactive art installation invites visitors to pause, reflect, and share what’s in their heart.
The Compassion Museum delivers community-based programs that seek to:
In just the two years since their launch, The Compassion Museum has sponsored dozens of activations and experiences across the Twin Cities.
Beginning in January 2024, join us in the tropical gardens and beat the “winter-blahs” as live, local musicians play blues, bluegrass and ballads from 4:30-6:30pm on select Sundays and Wednesdays. The concerts are free and beer and wine will be available to purchase. No reservations required. These concerts are standing room only. Because of fire code regulations, there are no chairs set-up.
With wine, beer, and food tastings arrayed throughout Como’s Visitor Center and the gardens of the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory, no other fundraiser in town has a more beautiful backdrop.
Three Big Happenings at Como This Weekend! Immerse yourself in the Tropics, enjoy a new flower show, and groove to live music!
***A SEPARATE, PRE-PAID RESERVATION AND ADMISSION TO THE WINTER CARNIVAL ORCHID SHOW IS REQUIRED TO ENTER THE CONSERVATORY ON JANUARY 27 AND 28.*** Those attending the Orchid Show may attend the zoo after. Those attending the zoo may not attend the Conservatory without a pre-paid ticket. Those coming just to visit the Conservatory’s gardens will still need to purchase a ticket for this weekend. No refunds for this event.
During the Saint Paul Winter Carnival, all things cold are celebrated. One event stands out and gives attendees a way to escape to the tropics without even getting on a plane; the Winter Carnival Orchid Show at the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory on January 27 and 28, 2024, from 10am – 4pm.
Yes! This is the one time of year that there is an admission fee to the Conservatory. Admission into the Conservatory for Winter Carnival Orchid Show weekend (regardless if you are coming or the Orchid Show or not) will be $5 for adults, and $4 for Como Friends Member, seniors 55+, and children under 12. No refunds will be given for this event.
No! You only have to pay if you plan on visiting the Conservatory. You do not need to make a reservation for the zoo.
You will need to make a separate reservation for the Conservatory by clicking HERE. You can visit the zoo before or after your visit to the Conservatory. If you just want to visit the zoo, no reservations are required.
Sorry, no. Prepayment by credit card and advanced reservations will be required. Click HERE to make your reservation.
Entrance for the Orchid Show will be at the Japanese Garden Gates. Entrance to the zoo is still at the Visitor Center.
Enjoy the show! You may also continue to visit the zoo if you would like. Those attending the Orchid Show have the ability to purchase quality orchids from our excellent vendors. Orchid plants and orchid-related items will be for sale from the following vendors: Arnold J. Klehm Growers Inc., Deerwood Orchids, New World Orchids, Sophie’s Orchids, and members of the Orchid Society of Minnesota.
Now in its 49th year, the Winter Carnival Orchid Show has solidified its reputation as the ultimate winter destination for orchid enthusiasts across the Midwest. Picture this: the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory, adorned with hundreds of orchid plants from the Conservatory itself, the Orchid Society of Minnesota members, and various individual and commercial orchid growers. Together, they transform the Conservatory into a tropical haven where orchids reign supreme, replacing the chill of winter with the vibrant colors of these exquisite blooms. Beyond the sheer beauty of the orchids and captivating displays, vendors will be on hand, offering a delightful array of plants and other orchid-related treasures.
Join us for a journey into a tropical oasis, where orchids take center stage and the atmosphere is infused with the warmth of these stunning flowers. Immerse yourself in the world of orchid culture with insights from our exceptional members and vendors. And, of course, don’t miss the chance to acquire high-quality orchids from our outstanding vendors. Among them are esteemed names such as Arnold J. Klehm Growers Inc., Deerwood Orchids, New World Orchids, and Orchids Limited, each offering a selection of exquisite orchid plants and related items for you to take home. Don’t just witness the Winter Carnival Orchid Show—experience the allure of orchids in a tropical setting, where the magic of these enchanting blooms awaits you.
Show your excitement for Spring on March 23 & 24 as Como celebrates the opening of the Spring Flower Show and a special “Hop Into Spring” conservation education weekend with games, crafts, Blaze Sparky Shows, and special guests the Children’s Theatre Company, as well as an ASL interpreter at value-added programs! The Children’s Theatre Company (CTC) professional teaching artists will lead 30-minute Story Theater sessions that will bring their production of A Year with Frog and Toad and the Frog & Toad book to life!
Spring Flower Show 2024
March 22 through April 28, 2024
The spring flower show will feature early spring favorites such as blue delphinium, purple foxglove, and snapdragons. Fragrant white hyacinth, Spanish bluebells, white daffodils, purple crocus, blue grape hyacinth, along with a blend of purple and red tulips will adorn this spring floral display.
Sponsoring a garden is a unique way to keep the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory growing strong. Your donations help to plant thriving gardens, grow new programs, and preserve the Conservatory’s historic character for generations to come. Find out more by clicking HERE.
Due to an overwhelmingly positive response, we are currently sold out of registrations for this event. Please stay tuned for future events. If this type of programming interests you, make sure to check out our Music Under Glass series.
The Fall Show ends this Sunday, November 26th at 4pm. The Sunken Garden will be then closed November 27 through December 1st. We will reopen the Sunken Garden at 10:00AM on December 2nd with the Holiday Flower Show! The Holiday Flower Show will feature ‘Ferrara’ red, variegated ‘Tapestry’ (yellow & green) leaves, and yellow ‘Golden Glo’ poinsettias. Accompanying these will be yellow flowering kalanchoe and tropical foliage accents. It will be on display until January 7th.
COMO offers stunning venues to hold corporate events, meetings, birthday parties or weddings
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