Worth a Journey

The World’s 100 Best Zoos & Aquariums · 2026

The Best Zoos & Aquariums in the Nordics

2 of the 100 zoos and aquariums in The World’s 100 Best Zoos & Aquariums 2026 are in the Nordics. The highest placed is Copenhagen Zoo in Copenhagen, at number 61 in the world.

Copenhagen Zoo
N° 61 · Copenhagen Zoo, Copenhagen

Copenhagen

Copenhagen Zoo in the middle of Copenhagen has polar bears, giraffes, leopards and elephants. A wooden tower with a view over the city stands among its enclosures.

Park style zoos

Odense Zoo in central Odense has wide green paths and enclosures set among trees. The penguin house, the treetop walkway and the tropical hall are the main draws.

Zoos and aquariums

63. Odense Zoo 61. Copenhagen Zoo
63. Odense Zoo 61. Copenhagen Zoo
  1. Copenhagen Zoo N° 61 Copenhagen Zoo Copenhagen, Denmark Zoo
  2. Odense Zoo N° 63 Odense Zoo Odense, Denmark Zoo

Best by region

  1. The NordicsCopenhagen ZooCopenhagen, DenmarkN° 61
  2. EuropeZoo LeipzigLeipzig, GermanyN° 2
  3. AsiaShanghai Wild Animal ParkShanghai, ChinaN° 38
  4. North AmericaHenry Doorly Zoo and AquariumOmaha, United StatesN° 1
  5. The CaribbeanZoo de Guadeloupe au Parc des MamellesBouillante, GuadeloupeN° 41
  6. Latin AmericaZoológico La AuroraGuatemala City, GuatemalaN° 44
  7. OceaniaAustralia ZooBeerwah, AustraliaN° 3

Best by kind

  1. AquariumsPoema del Mar AquariumLas Palmas de Gran Canaria, SpainN° 15

Best by country

  1. United StatesHenry Doorly Zoo and AquariumOmahaN° 1
  2. GermanyZoo LeipzigLeipzigN° 2
  3. SpainLoro ParquePuerto de la CruzN° 13
  4. FranceBioparc de Doué-la-FontaineDoué-la-FontaineN° 8
  5. PolandZoo WrocławWrocławN° 16
  6. United KingdomChester ZooChesterN° 21
  7. AustraliaAustralia ZooBeerwahN° 3