Arctic Passage Grand Opening

press release:

The Wait is Over - Arctic Passage is Opening! Join us Saturday at 10am for the grand opening

Arctic Passage has transformed 1.7 acres of the Henry Vilas Zoo to bring to life the natural habitats of polar bears, grizzly bears, and seals.

Two juvenile polar bears will call the Arctic Passage home - a brother and sister, Sakari and Suka. Visitors will have the chance to go nose to nose with these majestic creatures as they swim and play in their new home. Two sister grizzly bears will call the Arctic Passage their forever home, and visitors will delight in this lively twosome's antics as they explore their habitat, complete with a stream for fishing. The zoo's seals have moved from their current home to their new exhibit which will provide visitors with the first ever seal underwater viewing.

Join us to celebrate the grand opening of the exhibit this weekend with a special ribbon cutting at 10am on Saturday 5/23. The Glacier Grille, our new indoor restaurant, will also be open featuring a new menu.

Along with our grand opening of Arctic Passage, we have partnered with Metcalfe’s Brat Fest event to host a fun-filled free weekend!  All weekend, free shuttles will take you between Brat Fest and the Henry Vilas Zoo every 30 minutes from 10a.m. to 5p.m. The shuttle pick-up/drop-off will be located at the Wingra side entrance of the Zoo and by the Kid’s Zone tent at Brat Fest. The zoo will host Brat Fest performers from 12p.m.- 4p.m. in the education pavilion and Brat Fest will host the Henry Vilas Zoo education animals in the Kid’s Zone tent from 11a.m.-1p.m. Thank you Metcalfe's and BratFest for partnering with the zoo and helping make this weekend even more amazing!

Arctic Passage is the largest project in the zoo's 104 year history. Dane County invested $4.5 million, and thanks to the generosity of over 850 supporters, Friends of Henry Vilas Zoo provided $4.7 million.

Thank you to everyone who has helped make Arctic Passage a reality!