MILWAUKEE — You won’t need to make advance reservations to visit the zoo starting Thursday.
The Milwaukee County Zoo is in Phase 2 of its reopening, with outdoor habitats open and some buildings, concessions, and merchandise outlets open with 50-percent capacity for visitors and Zoo Pass holders, according to a press release from the Zoo. Physical distancing and face masks will be required.
Events such as Family Free Days will still require reservations, so the zoo can adhere to limited daily attendance capacity.
Buildings open to 50-percent capacity include the Apes of Africa, Aquatic & Reptile Center, Herb & Nada Mahler Family Aviary, Dairy Barn in the Northwestern Mutual Family Farm, and the Elephant Care Center-Conservation Outpost.
There is one-way visitor traffic and entrance and exit doors are specifically designated. There will be staff on hand to monitor the number of visitors in the buildings at any one time and to ensure physical distancing can be followed.
To keep visitors safe, the Zoo has designated a single point of entry, placed hand sanitizer stations throughout the Zoo, and enhancing the already-stringent cleaning practices. Because the Zoo is opened limited hours, this allows for extensive commercial-grade pressure washers to clean larger surface areas with a disinfectant additive.