Great zoo that is free! Big park and fun to see the animals. Fun for everyone in the family and always a nice time!

One of approximately 43 zoos and aquariums that don't charge admission in the U.S., the Henry Vilas Zoo is part of the bigger Vilas Park in Madison, WI, and was a great quick stop for my wife and daughter (during her toddler years) when growing up in Madison. The park land was gifted in 1904 by Sen. William Vilas, naming the park for his son. One of the conditions of the grant was to maintain public access to the park without admission charges. The zoo opened in 1911, with the City of Madison getting ownership in 1937. In 1983, the ownership was gradually handed over to Dane County. There was a non-profit fund raising arm for the zoo (Henry Vilas Zoological Society), but that relationship ceased in 2019 with a dispute with no distinct replacement. Thus, operational costs are borne by the county government for now (with a small endowment). An important ongoing goal is to maintain accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) for operational excellence. It was a hot weekday, so the zoo was pretty empty (of both visitors and animals), and none of the snack/food areas were open. The American Flamingo exhibit was a colorful stop, and the Aviary building was a good place to observe parrots and bats, along with aquariums. read more

See all

The zoo is free. The cover area is big. It has arctic, American prairie, aviary, Asian, red panda, children zoo. The parking is free. It has three entrances. You need to notice your parking area. We enter from the north entrance. The parking here is easy. I like the most in this zoo is the red panda and the badger. The area is big. May need 1.5 hours to cover all area. Detail visit may take 2.5 hours. Kid likes the children zoo for animal padding. The area has some tree cover and is not too hot. read more

See all

We love visiting this zoo every time we're in Madison. It's small enough to walk the entire zoo and only spend about 2-3 hours, depending on how long you watch the animals. There are plenty of snack shops, bathrooms, and helpful staff. read more

Henry Vilas Park Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Drove 1h45 min from the Chicago suburbs to see the hyraxes! Was definitely worth the drive - we saw everything we wanted to see, and more. The zoo was easy to navigate and the staff were very helpful. The zoo looked well kept and clean as well. I love seeing that they serve Colectivo coffee at the zoo! read more

See all

My wife and I specifically came because the Henry Vilas Zoo has Hyraxes and they did not disappoint. They ran, climbed, jumped, waiting for the keepers to feed them, and took an uncommon joy in staring at humans through the glass while eating (or just because). They also share an enclosure with lemurs & it was hilarious seeing them running around while the lemurs jump around. If you're in on the hyrax lore, would highly recommend making a day trip out to Madison. Oh, and the rest of the zoo was great too! read more

See all

Spent Easter Sunday here on a beautiful sunny afternoon. I really like this zoo. It is small but very nice. It is not a huge zoo and takes no more than two hours for a full walk through while taking photos and enjoying a quick drink or ice cream cone. The main attraction of the zoo is that it is free. All of the animals were out that day and I had a very pleasant experience. This zoo is very kid friendly without being overwhelming. read more

See all

Such a fun place for all of the family! ? Very accessible for w/c and stroller users! fun play ground area for kids with interactive options like feeding the goats! Summer can be busy but I highly recommend going in the fall if you want to avoid the crowds. They also have some sensory sensitive friendly options which is always a win in my book! read more

Henry Vilas Park Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

This place is amazing for a stop in nearby Madison!! Highly recommended. Concessions, gift shop, train rides. All the fun things for kids to enjoy! read more

Henry Vilas Park Zoo - The carousel - Zoos Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Beware of the concessions stands false advertising! Their posted prices do not reflect the higher prices that they charge!  When I pointed it out to the blank stare teenage employee, his response was the sign is outdated!  Duh!  No offer to make good or even an apology. While still nice, the zoo has less animals than in the past. It was much better before Dane County kicked out the ⁠Henry Vilas Zoological Society from running the zoo. read more

The zoo is not a big big zoo, but has the main staple animals to view. I tend to like this zoo for a few reasons: 1. It's free entry and community supported; donations accepted... 2. It's easy to get around, nicely marked... 3. It has the basic animals to view... 4. Staff is extremely professional, nice and knowledgeable. 5. Nice little grub shack with nicely sized entrees for the price; but remember admission is free... 6. There are a zoo train and carousel, which is $3 per person... 7. Children's meals are like perfect, entree, apple sauce, fruit drink, animal graham crackers... Check it out if you're in town! read more

See all

While visiting the Madison area for our chemo checks in UW- we decided to stop at Henry Villas Zoo for distraction. The last time being there was probably twenty years plus, but it's such a lovely zoo. Not too busy and best part- it's free! We really loved seeing the otters and the monkeys! We even got to experience the baby's birthday last year!!! Thanks for distracting us from the real life scenarios going on. So thankful for these memories. We will be back soon!! read more

See all

This place was very cute and nice. Very clean and well kept. Was so happy to be there. The parking is street la and you may have to walk so be prepared. Nice area. The animals look well kept I love going to the zoo. A fun lunch place you need to check out. read more

See all

Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison is such a gem and it's completely free!!! It's smaller than some city zoos, but the animal selection is still impressive: lions, orangutans, rhinos, bison, and more. The layout is easy to navigate, and it's a great way to spend a few hours without feeling overwhelmed. Because it's free, it can get a bit crowded on nice days, but it's worthy of an hour or two stroll, as a couple with no kids we spent maybe 75-90 mins there. read more

See all

My first time seeing a lion... haha - I loved this place; there's not lots of animals but still nice place to go. Is free, and there's a children zoo for the kids. read more

See all

This is a great spot for visitors. It is free admissions with plenty of animals to see. Our group of 14 only spent 1.5 hours at the zoo because two of the kids fell asleep after skipping their nap earlier in the day. We had to leave a little earlier than originally planned but it was enough time for us to see the turtles, grizzly bear, rhinoceros, tiger, seal, donkey, flamingos, peacock, and several other animals. The highlight was the children's playground which was busy but not overwhelming. Our four kids enjoyed climbing the amazing treehouse with a tall slide, conquering the monkey bars, pretending to be archeologists in the small section with dinosaur bones, and climbing the stairs for the tubular slide. One slight disappointment was the café with coffee and ice cream was closed during our visit. However, the Glacier Grille was operating and our kids enjoyed the Dippin' Dots. read more

See all

Henry Vilas Park Zoo is a sneaky nice zoo. First, it is free and open 365 days a year. (Can't beat that, right?) Second, it isn't HUGE by any means but just long enough to enjoy a morning or afternoo with your littles. You'll definitely be able to get through the entire thing without someone having a meltdown (or six). We popped over on a Monday morning in July. The crowds were super manageable. We enjoyed the buffalo-- got to hear the lioness roar multiple times, saw a tortoise 'run' like 100 feet (wowza) and thouroughly enjoyed the baby orangutang. Ultimately, for me, what sets it apart from other zoos is its signage! I am a name person. I love knowing what dogs names are so why would zoo animals any different? Henry Vilas Park Zoo not only tells us the age or birthday of each animal, but what their favorite food and toy is?! *SWOON* (And while I am no bilingual, their signage is. Fabulous.) Finally, we came with a handicapped individual and navigating the zoo was no problem. It was relatively flat and intuitive with handicapped parking super close by. I'll be back. You, person reading my review, should come. You had me at hello, Henry Vilas. read more

Such a fun place to go that's opened year round! Had a group of 10 of us and came during winter.

Great enclosures for the animals, large and furnished with toys, giant scratching posts, things to jump on and stimulate. Quite the best enclosures we have seen in a long time. Not too many exhibits but what is there is great. Tiger, Polar Bear, Rhino, Lions and the stars of the show Red Pandas. It's a free zoo so do drop in a few dollars to support it. There are drop stations for money around the zoo. read more

Henry Vilas Park Zoo - We found a sleeping Polar Bear and he was not Lost. - Zoos Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

This is a great zoo. Free entry. Multiple spots to view animals in every exhibit. Lots of animals and a logical flow though path. Parking is terrible on the weekends. read more

See all

Many parking and entrance options. I love that it was still an option for getting outside on a cold day but it had many inside areas to get out of the cold. Well kept. Clean! It is free to enter and is donation based which is so kind and thoughtful. Some really cool animals! I would go again! Also side note but there was an awesome beach right outside of the entrance. read more

Great free zoo with an epic kids area. My son loved the playground so much we didn't end up riding the train or the carousel- unbelievable for him! The coolest thing for me (being a Madagascar RPCV) was that most of the lemurs actually had Malagasy names- well done!!! We had lunch in the cafe by the polar bears which wasn't a particularly memorable experience- expensive, typical mid-quality burger, not filled up soda for $5....would definitely recommend skipping in favor of Cafe Zuzu across the street...although the fries would have been great if served hot. read more

See all

We went as a family this past year for their annual zoo lights! Perfect date night! Grab some hot cocoa at the entrance and dress warm!! Such a fun experience! If you haven't already been I highly recommend!! read more

Henry Vilas Park Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

Wow it has been a really long time since I have explored this zoo. At least a decade or more ago when we would be in town visiting relatives. Now that we live here we took advantage of one of the few nice days of weather this spring to check-it out. The layout is compact and nicely done for a small zoo. Despite the nice weather it wasn't very crowded but it was toward the end of the day and a weekday so that could be why. We did see some fun primate antics, could hear the lions bellowing from afar, saw a tiger, and Eddie the giraffe and of course the badgers. We know that due to the avian flu the birds were not on display but we noticed many of the other animals were MIA. No bears, rhinos, etc. Hmmm? No big complaint it is free after all. We will need to return on one of our many bike rides in the area to see what we missed. Being free it will be easy to just pop in for a quick visit. read more

The Henry Vilas Park Zoo is a free zoo. Can you believe it? I've never been to a zoo for free! (They accept donations though, so I recommend bringing a bit of cash if you can spare it!) Unfortunately, we visited when it was close to closing time, so most of the animals had already been transferred to their indoor enclosures for the night, and we could not see them. (That's our own fault, really! Hahaha) The animals we got to see were great though! I recommend going earlier in the day when the animals are still outside for the full experience! Apparently though, some animals are taken indoors even during the day if the temperature is too cold, which is understandable since it's Wisconsin. Just some things to keep in mind! I'll have to try to make it back over there earlier in the day this week to see if I can catch a few more sightings! read more

See all

go here with family, friends or even a date for a quick nature outing. the zoo is nicely laid out and free to enter and park. there is a lot and street parking wherever you find. it does fill up quick so i'd recommends going in the morning if you want parking lot parking. some animals were out others weren't. there was a couple exhibits that looked like they should be bigger for some of the animals like the penguin exhibit and the lion exhibit and the sea lions. overall not bad because it was free but when leaving definitely donate to keep this cute place going. read more

See all

This is a greatly cared for park and zoo. I saw no trash anywhere, and the flowers and gardens were really kept up well. I was very impressed with the size of this free zoo and it is 100% free. An impressive amount of animals and a lot of conservation information. This is a great place to spend a day just meandering around. read more

See all

Nice zoo in Madison that's free for everyone! It's not very big but there's still plenty to see. We came on a Saturday morning and it didn't feel incredibly crowded. We saw a seal, polar bear, tiger, the aviary, plenty of reptiles, lions, and camels, to name a few. It's perfect for spending half the day or a few hours. read more

For a free zoo, they do amazing things with keeping up the animals health and the grounds/facilities. They have lots of places to rest and catch a breath in the shade, as well as stations for food nearby. read more

Henry Vilas Park Zoo - Hanging with my two youngest!! - Zoos Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

How do you rate a free zoo anything less than the maximum 5 stars? Also, it's a charming zoo and all the volunteers are wonderful. The animals are nice too. read more

Quite small & difficult to navigate despite a paper map & some signs. Good for parents & care givers in the area. I would not recommend as a tourist site due to its size and animal selection. read more

We decided that a visit to the zoo was going to be part of our let's be a tourist in Madison Wi for the afternoon. The zoo is free to get in to my surprise and it was mostly empty because of it being a Monday and C19 going on. I know that C19 is going on and things are different when you visit public places but I think the zoo was absolutely ridiculous with what the have done and I can understand that the indoor attractions being closed but I didn't understand all the roping off and fences put in random outdoor areas like 6 feet from a fence to an animals exhibit which is already not close to the animal anyway and hence the existing fence. I really don't understand why the zoo is open with most of the zoo exhibits off limits and very little outdoor exhibits open to view with anything to see. With what the zoo is doing right now you don't walk away with a good zoo experience at all so just close the zoo period instead of offering a poor experience. read more

See all

What a great place to go! I mean, it's FREE! But not just that, they have a decent array of attractions for a smaller city (and free). Giraffes, penguins, bears... it's an excellent way to spend some "family time" without blowing the budget. Feeling guilty about going for free? They have decent concessions as well as a nice gift shop. Our recent stop out there was right before Christmas when we checked out the Holiday Lights show they do every year. Now THAT is not free, but I'd say it's worth it. I like how they throttle attendance, selling a set amount of tickets for entry during a certain time slot. read more

Great place to go (with kids or if you are just a kid yourself or an adult who likes animals in cages). One of the best parts: it's FREE (by giving them a donation, it stays free). It was a tad crowded in certain areas, but still enjoyable. There is a gift shop and plenty of hand sanitizing stations (hello, Covid is airborne, but wash those hands anyway). Definitely a place to visit while in Madison! read more

Love how close you can get to the animals! Parking is a bit hectic. I recommend taking an Uber/Lyft or going around lunch when people head home. Lots of tables for picnicking and the food options are solid. FREE admission and parking but make sure to make a donation if you can! read more

Henry Vilas Park Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

During the pandemic, getting out was difficult. Not all exhibits were open in May 2021. Now that the restrictions are limited, this zoo will be packed on weekends. Payment by donations keeps this zoo free. They have a nice selection of cats and larger mammals, enough to satisfy any kid's wish to see something big. You can walk around this zoo without getting overly tired. When I was there on a Saturday morning, it was packed and all the restaurants were really busy with fairly long lines. They have sanitation stations at most exhibits with hand sanitizer in large bottles. Parking will be a challenge on the weekends. read more

Awesome Zoo they have great staff. cool animals. Very enjoyable! I highly recommend it. I can't wait to go back sometime. It is well worth the trip read more

Nice animal choices- different types for a free zoo- few attractions for kids closed- Very crowded- free zoo- expect some long lines for things read more

The Henry Vilas Park zoo is a great place to spend an hour or two to check out some very cool, exotic animals. I am disappointed to see so many complaints about the zoo on here, it is free for Pete's sake, it's not like you are not getting your money's worth! I was excited about coming to the zoo when I visited Madison as I had not been to a zoo for years, and I was glad to see they were open with measures put in place due to COVID-19. There are arrows that indicate which direction to go while inside so it is more orderly than a traditional zoo with kids running around everywhere. My favorite animal in the zoo was probably the lion or the polar bear but there were many fun exhibits from all different parts of the world. While it was not the biggest zoo with the most exotic animals, it definitely made for a fun afternoon seeing some animals that I would only otherwise see in pictures. Next time I will remember to bring water. read more

See all

If you are looking for something to do in Madison Wisconsin, check out this free zoo. My tip is to stop in the restaurant, great food! read more

See all