Montgomery Zoo and Mann Wildlife Museum
1110 Emory Folmar Blvd, Montgomery, AL
Montgomery, AL
Animals from five continents roam moated, barrier-free habitats here, paired with a museum of lifelike North American wildlife, a two-in-one stop in Alabama's capital.
The Montgomery Zoo is a barrier-free zoo in Alabama's capital, where animals live in large, moated habitats designed so that fences and bars rarely come between the visitor and the view. Laid out by continent, the park lets a single walk carry you from North America to Africa, Asia, South America, and Australia among elephants, giraffes, big cats, bears, and more.
Sharing the same campus is the Mann Wildlife Learning Museum, a collection of remarkably lifelike mounts of North American animals in re-created natural settings. Together the two make a two-in-one destination, pairing living animals from around the world with a close, detailed look at the wildlife of the visitor's own continent, all a short drive from downtown Montgomery.
What Guests Love
- Barrier-free, moated habitats that let animals roam without cages between you and them
- Exhibits organized by continent, so a stroll circles the globe
- The Mann museum's lifelike mounts of North American wildlife next door
- A miniature train and skylift that give young visitors a ride over the park
Worth Knowing
- The zoo and Mann Wildlife Museum share one campus, so plan time for both
- Alabama summers are hot and humid, so mornings are the most comfortable for the outdoor loop
- The train and skylift are popular with children and add to a family visit
- It sits a short drive from Montgomery's downtown history sites, easy to pair in a day
Details
Montgomery, AL
Learn about Montgomery Zoo and Mann Wildlife Museum
A barrier-free zoo
The Montgomery Zoo is built around the idea of open, barrier-free habitats. Instead of caging animals behind bars, the park uses moats, ditches, and natural barriers to separate visitors from the animals, giving a sense of seeing them in more open surroundings and offering cleaner sight lines for photos and viewing.
The park is organized geographically, so the paths loop through areas representing different continents. A visitor can move from the plains of Africa to the forests of Asia to the wildlife of the Americas over the course of a single stroll, meeting elephants, giraffes, rhinos, big cats, primates, and bears along the way.
The Mann Wildlife Learning Museum
Next to the zoo stands the Mann Wildlife Learning Museum, built around a large collection of North American animal mounts assembled by an Alabama outdoorsman. The animals are displayed in carefully re-created natural habitats, from northern forests to southern swamps, so that visitors can study them up close in lifelike poses.
The museum is a natural companion to the living zoo, letting families compare the exotic animals of far-off continents with the deer, bear, bison, wolves, and birds of North America. It adds an educational dimension to a visit and, being indoors, offers a cool break from the Alabama heat.
A family day in the capital
The zoo is designed with families in mind. A miniature train winds through the grounds, and an overhead skylift carries riders above the habitats for a bird's-eye view of the park, both favorites with children. Picnic areas, seasonal events, and holiday light displays round out the offerings through the year.
Its location in Montgomery makes it easy to combine with the city's other draws. The capital is layered with history, from the state capitol to the civil rights landmarks downtown, and the zoo offers a lighter, outdoor counterpoint to a day of museums and memorials.
Season by season
Spring and fall are the most pleasant times to walk the outdoor zoo, with mild temperatures and comfortable air. Spring brings blooming grounds and active animals, while fall cools things down after the long summer.
Summer in Montgomery is hot and humid, so an early start and the shaded, indoor Mann museum make the visit easier. Winter is quiet and often mild, and the zoo's holiday light events give the colder evenings a reason to visit after dark.
Closest Boutels
The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.
Things to Do Near Montgomery
Alabama State Capitol
About 4 miles south
The domed statehouse where the Selma to Montgomery marches ended, atop Goat Hill in downtown Montgomery.
Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church
About 4 miles south
The downtown church where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. served as pastor during the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
The Legacy Museum and National Memorial for Peace and Justice
About 5 miles south
Two powerful sites confronting the history of slavery, lynching, and racial injustice in America.