Somewhere in Nebraska, between the elephant barn and the sound of a train whistle, there is a painted tiger holding perfectly still and waiting for a kid to climb on. It costs four dollars, spins twice, and plays music you can hear from two paths away.
Nobody plans their whole day around it, which is exactly why it sticks in your memory afterward. For a lot of families, hearing that organ music start up is the moment summer officially begins.
Where to Find the Spinning Menagerie in South Omaha
At 3701 S 10th Street in Omaha, inside the grounds of Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, sits a modest round pavilion that does one job well. Sue’s Wildlife Carousel spins beneath a canopy of painted panels and mirrors, ringed by hand-finished animals that never once break stride.
South Omaha wraps around it. The zoo sits just off Interstate 80 near the 13th Street exit, close enough to downtown that you can drive from the Old Market in about ten minutes, and reachable in a couple of hours from Lincoln, Fremont, or Council Bluffs…