Can we visit without a car?

Yes. Plan your rail journey to Finsterwalde (Niederlausitz), then check bus 551 for Am Tierpark and the final approach to An der Bürgerheide. Its current timetable is weekday-only. For a weekend visit, arrange another onward option, such as a taxi from the station.

Can children feed or touch the animals?

Follow the zoo’s signs and staff instructions. Some booked school tours include supervised feeding or contact at selected enclosures. That does not make feeding part of a self-guided visit; keep your own snacks for people.

Is there a rainy-day version?

Keep the outdoor animal circuit shorter and use the café for a warm break when it is open. This is still an outdoor zoo visit, so choose another day if prolonged rain would spoil the walking and playground time.

Illustration

ZooBrandenburg, Germany

Tierpark Finsterwalde

Tierpark Finsterwalde is an easy-sized family outing with gibbons, walk-through deer watching and a playground beside the Schwanenteich.

Official website

About

Tierpark Finsterwalde is an easy-sized family outing with gibbons, walk-through deer watching and a playground beside the Schwanenteich. Set in the Bürgerheide recreation area on the edge of town, it combines animal enclosures with tree information, hands-on nature stations and places to sit. Begin with whichever animal your children most want to see, then leave room for the smaller discoveries between enclosures.

The white-handed gibbons are a good place to slow down and watch how an animal moves. Elsewhere, look for banded mongooses, raccoons and colourful macaws. The fallow-deer area offers a different perspective: visitors can enter the designated public section of the enclosure. Let the deer choose their distance and follow the signs at the gates.

The Café am Schwanenteich gives the visit a natural pause, with indoor and outdoor seating overlooking animal enclosures and the playground in sight. It is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Bring drinks and a snack on those days, and keep food away from the animals. Turn your visit into a safari! Use the Snappit app to scan and log wildlife sightings here.

Local bird enthusiasts Alfred Zeisbrich and Rolf Bellisch proposed the zoo in 1969. Its first animals arrived in August 1970, with an aviary and goat enclosure among the beginnings. Volunteers cared for the animals in their spare time until January 1972. That community involvement continued through later improvements; a new gibbon house opened in February 2014.

What to do here

Build your visit around the gibbons, the walk-through deer area and a stop at the pond, choosing the order as you explore. At two enclosures, ask everyone to watch silently for a minute and then describe one thing the animal actually did. Comparing a mongoose’s movements with an owl’s stillness works well without turning the outing into a test.

Mix animal watching with the nature information and hands-on stations; in suitable weather, try the barefoot path. Save some time for the playground. For a more guided visit, book a general or themed tour directly with the zoo. School groups can arrange a keeper-led visit with a quiz, and the zoo also offers a tailored “Kuscheltour” for young children or visitors with disabilities. Discuss the activities and any support needs when booking.

Seasonal info

The zoo opens daily at 09: 00, closing at 17:00 from February to April, 19:00 from May to September and 16:00 from October to January. Check the official visitor pages for changes before travelling. Bring weatherproof shoes for an outdoor outing; save the barefoot path for comfortable conditions. The café can provide an indoor break on its opening days.

Accessibility

The café has barrier-free access. If you are visiting with a wheelchair, walking aid or pushchair, call 03531 8522 to plan the rest of your visit, including path surfaces, enclosure entrances and toilet facilities. Parking is on Forststraße beside the railway embankment, with the entrance at An der Bürgerheide. By public transport, use Finsterwalde (Niederlausitz) station and check SängerStadtBUS 551 to Am Tierpark; the published timetable runs Monday–Friday. Plan the onward journey separately for weekends.

Don't miss

Gibbon watching

Pause to watch the white-handed gibbons move, rest and interact.

Deer at their own pace

Walk through the designated fallow-deer area without approaching or feeding the animals.

Nature between enclosures

Tree information, hands-on stations and a barefoot path add variety to the animal circuit.

Pond-side family stop

Combine playground time with a café break from Wednesday to Sunday.

Wildlife and habitats

Watch the group for a short spell and compare how individuals use the enclosure. Count the animals you can actually see.

Check the resting places before moving on. If a raccoon is awake, watch its paws as it explores, without trying to attract it.

Scan the perches slowly. An owl may remain very still; a quiet look can be more rewarding than waiting for it to fly.

Use the public walk-through section and give deer space to move away. Compare the animals from the path without following them.

Look for the contrast between black plumage and the red bill with its pale tip. Observe from the visitor side of the water.

Choose a position where the bird is easy to see, then watch how it changes its grip on a perch. Do not offer food.

Watch from the public viewing area and compare the animals’ coats and postures. Let your photographs record what they choose to do.

At the marmoset enclosure, take turns describing where an animal is sitting or moving. Stay quiet and keep hands outside the enclosure.

Sources and useful links

Wildlife you might spot

Each card links to a full Explore page with photos, traits, and fun facts.

Raccoon

Eurasian Eagle Owl

Fallow Deer

Blue And Yellow Macaw

Llama

Snap map for this place

Start with the big picture, then zoom in to explore individual wildlife observations around this place.

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Good to know before you go

Café timing

It opens at 10:00 Wednesday–Sunday and closes one hour before the zoo, so eat before your final animal stops.

Photograph patiently

Wait at a public viewing point and let the animal enter the frame. Avoid tapping, calling or offering food.

Book ahead

Contact [email protected] for themed tours, school visits or an adapted group visit.

Return transport

Check your bus back to the station before you enter, especially near the end of the day.

Frequently asked questions

: Yes. Plan your rail journey to Finsterwalde (Niederlausitz), then check bus 551 for Am Tierpark and the final approach to An der Bürgerheide. Its current timetable is weekday-only. For a weekend visit, arrange another onward option, such as a taxi from the station.
: Follow the zoo’s signs and staff instructions. Some booked school tours include supervised feeding or contact at selected enclosures. That does not make feeding part of a self-guided visit; keep your own snacks for people.
: Keep the outdoor animal circuit shorter and use the café for a warm break when it is open. This is still an outdoor zoo visit, so choose another day if prolonged rain would spoil the walking and playground time.