Como Park Zoo and Conservatory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Como Park Zoo and Marjorie McNeely Conservatory |
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The Marjorie McNeely Conservatory at Como Park
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| Type | Urban park |
| Location | Saint Paul, Minnesota |
| Area | 759 acres (307 ha) |
| Created | 1873 |
| Visitors | about 1.9 million annually |
| Status | Open all year |
The Como Park Zoo and Marjorie McNeely Conservatory is a super fun place in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It's often just called the Como Zoo and Conservatory. This amazing park, zoo, and conservatory are owned by the City of Saint Paul.
You can find lots of cool things here, like a zoo, a beautiful conservatory (which is like a giant greenhouse), an amusement park, a carousel, and even Lake Como. There's also a golf course and a pool! About 1.9 million people visit Como Park every year. It's a free park, so you don't have to pay to get in. However, they do suggest a small donation if you can, which helps keep everything running.
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Exploring Como Park
The City of Saint Paul bought the land for Como Park way back in 1873. It started with about 300 acres around Como Lake. Today, the park is much bigger, covering 384 acres. It's a great place to spend a day outdoors!
Here are some cool things you can do at Como Park:
- Walk or bike on 2.3 miles of paved trails.
- Play sports on the athletic fields.
- Enjoy a round of golf at the Como Golf Course.
- Visit Como Lake, which has a 1.67-mile paved path around it.
- You can go fishing from the pier.
- The Lakeside Pavilion has a restaurant and hosts live music in the summer.
- You can rent paddleboats, canoes, paddleboards, and family bikes.
- Cool off at the Como Pool.
- Have a blast at Como Town amusement park.
- Enjoy a picnic at one of the picnic shelters.
- Play mini golf at Putt'er There Mini Golf.
Cool Art and Buildings in Como Park
Como Park is home to many interesting sculptures and historic buildings. They tell stories about the park's past and add beauty to the landscape.
- Cafesjian's Carousel: This historic carousel, called PTC #33, was built in 1914. It was saved from being sold off in 1988 and lovingly restored. It's a true classic!
- Frog Pond: Completed in 1910, this spot has a lovely pergola. The granite frog, which gives the pond its name, was added in 1923.
- Gates Ajar: These iron gates were first put up in 1894. They were refurbished in 2007, keeping their historic charm.
- Global Harmony Labyrinth: This special labyrinth was dedicated in 2005. It celebrates the friendship between Saint Paul and its sister city, Nagasaki, Japan.
- Lakeside Pavilion: The building you see today was built in 1992. It's an exact copy of the original building from 1905.
- Schiller Statue: This bronze statue of German writer Friedrich Schiller was given to the city in 1907. It's a beautiful piece of art.
Winter Fun at Como Park
Como Park has even hosted the Saint Paul Winter Carnival Ice Palace! Lake Como was the site of this amazing ice structure in 1939. The Winter Carnival Medallion, which is part of a fun scavenger hunt, has been hidden in Como Park eight times over the years.
Amazing Como Zoo
The first zoo in Saint Paul started small in 1897 with a gift of three deer. As more animals arrived, they needed more space. So, the animals were moved to Como Park, and the zoo grew from there with donations.
The main Zoological Building was designed in 1936. It's a cool example of Art Deco style architecture. Other parts of the zoo, like Monkey Island (now Seal Island), were also built around that time.
In the 1980s, the zoo got a big makeover. Many new exhibits were added, including homes for large cats, aquatic animals, primates, and birds. A new home for polar bears was finished in 2010. It has shallow and deep pools, plus a special room where the polar bears can relax in air conditioning!
Art at Como Zoo
You can find several sculptures of animals around Como Zoo. These artworks celebrate some of the zoo's most famous residents!
- Don the Gorilla: A bronze statue of a popular gorilla named Don. It's located outside the primate house.
- Giraffes: These fiberglass giraffes were donated in 1994 and are near the giraffe exhibit.
- Polar Bears: Fiberglass polar bears are located near the polar bear exhibit.
- Sparky: A fiberglass sculpture of 'Sparky' the sea lion. Sparky performs fun shows at Como Zoo! This sculpture was created in 1997 to celebrate the zoo's 100th birthday.
- Toby the Tortoise: A bronze sculpture of Toby, a very popular tortoise. You can find it in front of the Zoological building.
Casey the Gorilla's Adventure
On May 13, 1994, something exciting happened! Casey, a 400-pound gorilla, climbed out of his enclosure. He explored the zoo for about 45 minutes! Visitors were quickly moved to safety while zoo staff used a tranquilizer to help Casey return to his home.
After this, the zoo built a temporary slanted wall to prevent it from happening again. They also planned a new, safer area for the gorillas. The new "Gorilla Forest" exhibit opened in 2013. Casey later moved to the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans.
Beautiful Marjorie McNeely Conservatory
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Como Park Conservatory
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The sunken garden in the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory
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| Location | Como Park St. Paul, Minnesota |
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| Built | 1913 |
| Architect | Frederick Nussbaumer |
| NRHP reference No. | 74001033 |
| Added to NRHP | November 19, 1974 |
The Marjorie McNeely Conservatory is a wonderful place filled with plants. It first opened to the public in November 1915. This beautiful greenhouse is open every day of the year. It has many different gardens and galleries to explore:
- The Ordway Garden: Features a Bonsai Gallery with tiny, artistic trees.
- Enchanted and Excedra Garden: A lovely butterfly garden with many different flowers and plants.
- Fern Room: Home to a wide variety of tree ferns and other interesting ferns.
- Japanese Garden: A peaceful garden designed in the "mountain and water" style. It was a gift from a Japanese landscape architect and represents friendship between Saint Paul and Nagasaki, Japan.
- North Garden: Here you'll find useful plants like aloe, bamboo, bananas, and coffee plants.
- Palm Dome: This huge dome is 64 feet high and 100 feet wide! It has over 150 different palm species.
- Sunken Garden: This garden changes its display five times a year with beautiful seasonal flower shows.
- Tropical Encounters: A special exhibit that opened in 2006. It features animals and plants from Central and South America.
The conservatory was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
Art at the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory
The conservatory also has some lovely sculptures that add to its beauty.
- Crest of the Wave: A bronze sculpture created in 1925. You can find it in the Palm Dome.
- Play Days: Another bronze sculpture, located in the Sunken Garden.
- St. Francis of Assisi: A sculpture of the revered saint, Francis of Assisi.
Images for kids
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The Marjorie McNeely Conservatory at Como Park
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1936 Zoological Building
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Polar Bears, Buzz and Neil in 2020, part of the Polar Bear Odyssey exhibit
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The sunken garden in the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory
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A beautiful plant inside the conservatory.
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During the spring flower display at the Sunken Garden.
