It had been awhile since I visited the Como Park Zoo. I don’t remember the last time. We took our boys there when they were young, and I remember we had a winter picnic there one year. I have been back to the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory since then, but the date escapes me.
Growing up in NE Minneapolis, going to the Como Zoo was a popular place for field trips at my elementary school. I remember the cages were too small for the animals. Thankfully, they have changed that. I also remember a very large, and very old, tortoise roaming the grounds. According to Como Zoo history posted online, Toby, a Galapagos tortoise, came to live at Como Zoo in 1958. Small children were allowed to ride on Toby’s back. Toby is the tortoise I remember. In 1974 Toby was moved to the Honolulu Zoo, where he still lives today!
Last week, before Christmas, we took our grandchildren to visit the Como Zoo. It is a nice size, not too big, and it is free. We went to see the monkeys first – a request from our granddaughter. We continued to walk around looking at the other animals including reindeer…how appropriate to see reindeer this time of year. It is fun to see the animals through the eyes of a child…
We took time at the end of our visit to go into the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory. I particularly wanted to see the sunken garden room which was decked out with red poinsettias, white paper whites, and purple lavender…it was warm, smelled good, and was beautiful to look at.
We all enjoyed wandering through the warm displays of plants in the conservatory. It is a special place, especially this time of year when the weather outside is frightful…
I’m thankful for St. Paul Parks and Recreation Department who maintains the Como Zoo …I will not wait so long to visit it again.
I remember taking us taking Mike and Tim and Jessie to Como. Seeing these pictures makes me want to go again. Beautiful! And, free!
Me too…good memories.
I have the same childhood memory of Como as you, of the wandering tortoise and of Sparky the Seal. And I only went there a few times. Now that my eldest lives within miles of Como, I’ve been there more often. I love the flowers and plants way more than viewing the animals. I feel a bit of melancholy in seeing them caged.
It looks like your grandchildren enjoyed the visit. What fun to be able to take them there.
Oh yes, Sparky the seal. They were remodeling the seal exhibit so he wasn’t available.
Yes, it is hard to see the animals caged…but at least they are a lot bigger when I saw them as a child.
I remember the park at the zoo is lovely, especially in the summer time…it’s nice your daughter lives close.