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Photography Tips
Zoos are great places for capturing wildlife photography and the Minnesota Zoo’s naturalistic environments provide an excellent background. Here are some helpful hints for capturing stunning images. Learn More
Tips for Visiting Our average visit is 3-4 hours, but you can easily spend an entire day at the Zoo and still have more to see. Explore our interactive map. We have indoor and outdoor exhibits and are open all year long. It is a good idea to dress in layers as temperatures and wind conditions vary throughout the day as well as seasonally. On cooler days, you’ll want a coat when visiting the Northern and Minnesota Trails. The animals are most active, and the crowds are smaller, early in the morning and later in the afternoon. Looking for some solitude? Fall and winter are less crowded than summer and spring, and the animals tend to be more curious about visitors when it is quiet and there are fewer people inside the buildings. School field trips are popular in April and May. If you're coming with a school group, plan your school's trip earlier in the year to avoid crowds. The Minnesota Zoo is a zoo for all seasons! Even when the weather is cold and nasty, the Tropics Trail and Discovery Bay are warm featuring animals from the Caribbean, South Pacific, and tropical rain forests. Don’t forget your camera! Zoos are great for wildlife photography. Read our photo tips featuring advice that will help you take great pictures of your favorite animals and exhibits. Avoid ticket lines become a member and use the member only lanes for faster entry. Members lane open every day from Memorial Day - Labor Day. After Labor Day our members lane is only open on the week-ends. The Zoo is a great place to get exercise. Take your daily or weekly walk around the Zoo rather than around the block or the track at your gym. Keep an eye out for roving naturalists and volunteers, who are dressed in bright blue shirts. They often have "touch stations" and other things to look at and are always happy to share interesting information about the animals. Consider becoming a volunteer and share your own interest with others! Bring binoculars so you can see animals REALLY close up. For the safety of animals and guests, bicycles, skateboards, rollerblades, and skates are not allowed inside the Zoo. Remember that all of the Zoo's animals are wild. Please don't feed any of the animals, or chase any of the naturally roaming animals. Check at the entrances when you arrive for announcements about new Zoo babies and other special events. Zoo Safety Wristbands |
