great lakes zoological society

11CourtneyP

The animals were so well kept and obviously very loved. They each had a description and were very informative, and while I'm happy I was able to see it, I'm extremely sad it closed.

Michiganders4

So sad that a community the size of Ann Arbor was inadequate to keep this gem going.From their glzszoo.org website-"Our last day open to the public is Sunday, Feb 15With heavy hearts, we are permanently closing our doors after February 15. The zoo is not financially viable, and the volunteers who form the Board of Directors have made the difficult decision to liquidate our assets to pay our creditors.We are working closely with our dedicated staff and scientific advisors to ensure that our animals are placed in excellent new homes. As much as possible, animals will be re-homed to reputable zoos and nature centers where they will be on exhibit and promote conservation education, and we are working so that all will be placed in carefully vetted new homes that are equipped to keep our beloved animals healthy and safe. Some of the animals' new homes include the Leslie Science and Nature Center, Binder Park Zoo, Detroit Zoo, Wilderness Trails Zoo, and John Ball Zoo."

AAMEL

Great for kids. They offer private parties for children. Amazing display of reptiles large and small.

fishonMi

I went with my grandson to the indoor zoo and we loved it. He had been there before so he could tell me about the animals. The snakes, lizards, turtles, spiders, etc. are set in their natural habitat setting. The way they have them displayed in the aquariums or glassed cages is neat. There are a few cages that need animals, but I think they need people to sponsor them. I'm sure the food and upkeep for the place is expensive. They also have a room for children parties.The hours of operation is daily from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. I would definitely go back. The price is very affordable.

bammad

This is a small place but it's packed with excitement. We had three boys and 2 girls and everyone loved it. What I liked best is the animals actually move - unlike other exhibitions my family has visited. The staff was very friendly also. Great place!!

945lyndak

Call ahead to see what day they will feed the python, it was completely amazing to watch! Small place but great for kids and te staff is wonderful, very informative and helpful

cathym645

Very few people I talk with in Ann Arbor and the surrounding area know anything about this little zoo on Jackson Road in Ann Arbor. It is small (three large rooms), so if you're driving from far you may want to think twice. I would probably wedge it with with errands in Ann Arbor. But they pack a lot into those three rooms. The workers are great and they're very happy to talk with the visitors and answer questions.

287cindys

It was nice to be able to go to an indoor animal sanctuary in the winter. However, there wasn't as big of a variety of insects, birds, reptiles, and amphibians as we were hoping to see. It was not worth the 1 hour drive that we took to get there. However, if I lived closer I would probably go again. We got a Groupon for this and it was a decent deal for sometime to do on a Saturday afternoon.

16amandag

My girlfriend and I were looking for something to do in Ann Arbor for a few hours and I stumbled across this place on TripAdvisor. We both really love animals of all kinds, but especially reptiles and amphibians, and other non-fuzzy critters. The staff here is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, and the care being taken for these animals (most of who are rescues) is amazing, especially given the wide variety of intensely specific care needs. I loved the emphasis on education and proper husbandry for these animals. While we were there, we even got to touch a milksnake that an employee brought out for a small child who looked a little nervous about the snake. This kind of education and experience is so important at a young age, I want to thank the staff for making that effort. In summary, you can't spend an entire day here, no, but it's completely worth the visit to see this hidden gem in Ann Arbor.

travlinwiththefam

Desperately seeking a fun (indoor), get out of the house activity for my 2 and 4 year old I came across GLZS on Google.So we packed up and took the 40 minute ride out and it was totally worth it!Birds, lizards, frogs, snakes, spiders, turtles - and that is just a few of the many animals they have on display. We spent about an hour and a half just amazed by these wonderful animals - some we have never seen before in a "zoo" like setting.Love that you can adopt the animals and they even have some that are looking for permanent homes.We arrived too late to participate in their "show and tell", but will check the website next time in advance to learn about and meet some of the animals.Also wanted to add this place is super clean and the animals are well taken care of.Will definitely be visiting again in the future.

Michiganders4

We purchased an economical family membership to the GLZS because it is close to our home. We like to stop in to see what is new and observe the animals. The size is perfect, we usually spend about 45 minutes there (though you could easily spend more) visiting our favorites.If snakes are not your favorites, they also have a nice collection of amazing lizards, a couple of large tortoises, some exotic birds and a neat collection of frogs and insects and arachnids. Because they take in unwanted animals and help to find them new homes, you can never be sure what new exhibits you'll see. Staff is passionate about their mission, the venue is very clean with hand sanitizer bottles placed strategically for your protection ( and that of the residents). A nice little gift store is located inside for souvenirs, whose purchase benefits the GLZS.Camps for children or birthday parties are also held here. It is a neat place - check it out!

dominiquew338

My daughters (ages 12 & 14) and I were amazed at the animals they had to view. From snakes to tarantulas to giant tortoises etc., we loved taking pics and seeing the reptiles they had to offer. Heads up, if you are 12yrs and older than you are considered an adult as far as price for admission goes. I thought $24 was a bit pricey considering it provided about 20mins of entertainment. It is not a large building, and it had a lot of the same animals just in different enclosures. But overall, my daughters had a nice time and that's pretty much all that matters to me. Thanks for reading my review, and I hope it helped!

LuisfromVA

Surprisingly fun place to visit and spend an hour or two with a child. Great layout and nice exhibits. If you are in a group, call ahead and they will do a show & tell & touch of the reptiles.

818emman

Wow... I was actually shocked by this place. I went in not knowing anything about it... seemed a bit shady but I am usually up for trying new places so we went for it! There are SO many reptiles.... ones that you have never seen before. They were HUGE too.... not little snakes and lizards... I am talking massive reptiles. I am no expert on animals but I thought the selection was amazing.We went with a large group and the staff was very nice and helpful. They took animals out for us to pet and view up close which was a nice personal touch. This place is pretty wheelchair friendly incase that is a concern... the bathrooms are large and clean, in general the building was clean. They also have an adorable gift shop with a lot of options for purchasing items. If you can, I would call ahead to arrange a tour, gets you a little bit more information about the animals (more than you can read on their information sections)Overall.... definitely will return.

pilotwife517

PROS - Animals very interesting (some of them have been given to the "zoo" because owners unable to care for), clean, no smell, lots of anti-bacterial, employees very nice, clean bathroom, ample free parking. Cool animals - blue frogs! Nice, little gift shop.CONS - Very small - more like a larger pet store. My kids thought it was interesting, but no way could we spend a whole hour there. I really think the word, "zoo" is a stretch, but kudos to the people/employees who take in these animals.We had a Groupon, so we spent $12 for a family of 4. Not sure I would be happy to pay more than that, but of course, it goes back to the animals, so could be worth it to you.