Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden
Amazonia’s immersive forest, Lake Victoria hills, North American and African animals, botanical collections, and Indiana’s first-zoo history create a compact but physically varied visit.
Artwork inspired by William Edouard Scott
Founded as Indiana’s first zoo, Mesker Park now spreads across wooded, rolling terrain around Lake Victoria. Amazonia provides the signature indoor experience, placing South American animals within dense tropical planting and humid pathways. Other areas combine global species, children’s exploration, and botanical collections, while the site’s hills make the landscape itself more prominent than at many urban zoos.
Begin with Amazonia before crowds and heat build, then use the tram or route map to manage hills rather than accidentally repeating climbs. Animal activity varies, and winter or rainy visits can still work because the rainforest and Discovery Center provide indoor anchors. The zoo opens every day, but seasonal admission, concessions, tram service, and events change; check the current day rather than relying on one summer price.
- Founded
- Indiana’s first zoo
- Area
- 45 acres
- Indoor anchor
- Amazonia rainforest
Quick guide
- Start in Amazonia
- Use the cooler, quieter opening period for layered rainforest observation.
- Map the elevation
- Choose a loop and tram stops before descending around Lake Victoria.
How to plan around hills and habitat
- Start in Amazonia
- Use the cooler, quieter opening period for layered rainforest observation.
- Map the elevation
- Choose a loop and tram stops before descending around Lake Victoria.
- Study the planting
- Treat canopy, humidity, and botanical labels as part of each animal habitat.
- Check seasonal services
- Daily opening does not mean identical food, tram, event, or admission operations.
Good to know
Open 365 days a year from 9 a.m.–4 p.m., with some shops and events on different hours. Admission uses seasonal rates; children 2 and younger enter free. Parking is free. Hills are significant, but accessible paths, a wheelchair-friendly tram, restrooms, and rentals support mobility; confirm tram operation for the chosen date.
Notice these
- Amazonia rainforest
- Lake Victoria landscape
- Children’s Enchanted Forest