Bears, Monkeys and Birds - "oh my"!

Visitor Services:

• Skyfari - Round Trip*:$4.00


• Train Ride - Round Trip*: $4.00 (ages 3 and over)


• Train Ride - One Stop*: $2.00 (ages 3 and over)


• Tram Ride*: $2.00 round trip, or $0.50 cents per stop (ages 3 and over)


• Sue's Wildlife Carousel: $2.00 per ride


• Stroller Rental+: $8.00


• Double Stroller Rental+: $12.00


• Wagon Rental+: $12.00


• Wheelchair Rental+: $8.00


• Adult chair Rental+: $8.00

1999 Sue's Carousel, a 36' carousel featuring 30 wild animals and horses, opened near Dairy World. Construction began on the world's largest Desert Dome. The Zoo hosted a temporary Komodo Dragon exhibit.

1998 The Garden of the Senses, a therapeutic formal garden area where guests can see, hear, touch and smell plants and surrounding elements, opened. The Lee G. Simmons Conservation Park & Wildlife Safari, 22 miles west of Omaha's Zoo at Nebraska's 1-80 Exit 426, opened. A new diet kitchen was completed. Construction began on a new pathology lab and keepers lounge.

1997 Lozier IMAX® 3D Theater opened.

1996 The Bill and Berniece Grewcock Center for Conservation and Research (CCR) opened. Timu, the world's first test-tube gorilla moved to Omaha's Zoo.

1995 The Walter and Suzanne Scott Kingdoms of the Seas Aquarium opened and the Zoo had more than 1.6 million visitors. Land was acquired for an off-site breeding facility and drive-through park. Construction began on the IMAX 3D Theater. The Zoo participated in the propagation of the world's first test-tube gorilla birth (Timu was born at the Cincinnati Zoo).

1994 The Union Pacific Engine House for the Omaha Zoo Railroad was completed.

1993 The old aquarium was closed and construction of the new aquarium began. The Zoo received two AAZPA awards: the Conservation Award for its black-footed ferret management program and the Significant Achievement Award for the Lied Jungle. The world's first artificially-inseminated gaur calf was born at the Zoo.

1992 The Lied Jungle®, the world's largest indoor rainforest and Durham's TreeTops Restaurant and Education Center opened. Simmons Plaza, near the main entrance, was completed.

1991 The Birthday House, a building for children's birthday parties and education classes opened. The world's first artificially-inseminated tiger was born at the Zoo.

1990 Dairy World, featuring a children's petting zoo, educational exhibits and concession area, opened. The world's first test-tube tiger was born at the Zoo.

1989 Durham Family's Bear Canyon was dedicated. Doorly's Pride, a heroic bronze sculpture of a pride of 12 lions, was installed in the entry plaza area. The Zoo received the prestigious AAZPA Bean Award for its long-term gaur propagation efforts. The black-footed ferret building constructed.

1988 Construction began on the $15 million Lied Jungle. The Zoo was selected as one of three sites for the endangered black-footed ferret breeding program. The Zoo's greenhouse was built near the maintenance shop.

1987 Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom Pavilion, a hands-on education building, was completed and US West Plaza, a visitor services area, opened. A new main entrance at the south end of the parking lot was opened.

1986 World-Herald Square was completed and First Tier Wolf Woods opened. The maintenance building and haybarn were relocated to the northeast area of the zoo.

1985 The gorilla and orangutan buildings were completely renovated and named in honor of the Owen Family.

1984 A 70,000 gallon salt-water aquarium opened in what had been the museum.

1983 The world's second largest walk-through aviary opened, Lee G. Simmons Free-Flight Aviary.

1981 The giraffe and hoofstock complex opened.

1979 The hospital and nursery opened.

1977 The largest Cat Complex in North America opened.

1974 The new diet kitchen and educational classrooms were completed.

1973 Owen Swan Valley and the Primate Research Building were completed.

1972 The Ak-sar-ben waterfall was constructed. In August, the 1916 public swimming pool that had been buried in 1944, and rediscovered in 1970, was reconstructed and became the Owen Sea Lion Pavilion complete with a new concession building, public restrooms and a gazebo.

1968 With help from Union Pacific, 2 1/2 miles of track was laid through the Zoo. Omaha's Zoo Railroad made its inaugural run in July. Eppley Pachyderm Hill was opened in November on the old baseball diamond site.

1965 The Omaha Zoological Society was reorganized to plan, construct, operate and maintain the Zoo for the city as a non-profit organization. The first phase of the Zoo was dedicated to Henry Doorly. The bear grottos, gorilla, orangutan buildings and Ak-sar-ben Nature Kingdom were part of this phase.

1963 Margaret Hitchcock Doorly donated $750,000 to the Zoo with the stipulation that the Zoo be named after her late husband, Henry Doorly, chairman of the World Publishing Company.

1900-1952 New exhibits and other improvements were made to support the growing number of animals in the park. In 1952, the Omaha Zoological Society was organized to improve the Zoo and to provide administrative help to the City.

1930's New cat and bear exhibits were built by WPA.

1920's New cat cages were donated by Gould Dietz.

Photo courtesy of StaciJansma.

Photo courtesy of StaciJansma.

1898 The park had an animal population that included deer, grizzly bear, two bison on loan from Colonel William F. Cody and 120 other animals.

1894 Riverview Park was founded by the City of Omaha.