Zoo in Nowy Tomyśl

Nowy Tomyśl Zoo (NO-vih TOH-mishl) is a small, leafy zoo in the town park of Nowy Tomyśl, a market town in western Poland between Poznań and the German border. Open since 1974, it keeps around 200 animals of 48 species, from camels and zebras to baboons, lynx and ostriches, in enclosures scattered among old trees. It is a relaxed, inexpensive stop for families driving the A2 motorway, and the town's wicker and hops museum is right next door.

A small zoo with a long history

The zoo opened in 1974 inside the town's recreation park. Among its first residents were two brown bears from a Warsaw circus; later, animals arrived from zoos that closed in Zielona Góra, Śrem and Września. Today it focuses on species that are easy to keep, so there are no big predators – instead you will find hoofed animals, monkeys and plenty of birds.

Animals to look out for

• hoofed animals: Hartmann's mountain zebras, Przewalski's horses, Bactrian camels, alpacas, yaks, mouflon and deer
• primates: baboons, vervet monkeys and rhesus macaques
• smaller carnivores: lynx, wildcats and skunks
• birds: ostriches, emus, peafowl, pheasants, mandarin ducks and parrots

The Przewalski's horses and Hartmann's zebras are part of the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP).

Is it worth visiting?

If you are traveling with young kids, yes. Paths are short, a full loop takes 1–2 hours, and the surrounding park is good for a picnic. Do not expect a big city zoo – this is a modest municipal one, which is exactly why it suits toddlers. Dogs and other pets are not allowed, and visitors should not feed the animals. Signage is mainly in Polish.

Tickets and opening hours (as of October 2026)

The zoo opens daily at 10 am:

• September–October and April: 10 am–6 pm
• May–August: 10 am–7 pm
• November–March: 10 am–4 pm

Tickets cost PLN 10 (about the price of a coffee), or PLN 5 reduced for children from age 3, students up to 18 and seniors 65+. Children under 3 go free, and admission is free on the second Monday of every month. Annual passes cost PLN 80 / 40. Phone: +48 61 442 22 97.

How to get to Nowy Tomyśl

Nowy Tomyśl sits right on the A2 motorway, the main route between Berlin and Warsaw via Poznań, and on the Poznań–Berlin railway line, so it makes an easy break on a road trip. Poznań, with its international airport, is the nearest big city. The zoo is at Topolowa 11, in the town park.

Things to do nearby

Next to the zoo is the Museum of Wicker and Hops, a branch of the National Museum of Agriculture in Szreniawa. In the 19th century, the hop fields around Nowy Tomyśl were the largest in Prussia, and the town is still known across Poland for wickerwork. A Hops and Wicker Fair takes place on the last weekend of the summer school holidays.