AbstractIt is six decades since the measles vaccine was first introduced, and yet we continue to see frequent outbreaks of this disease occurring all over the world. Many non‐human primate (NHP) species, including apes, are susceptible to the measles virus. Spontaneous measles outbreaks have been described in a number of zoos and primate centers worldwide. Research into the spontaneous and experimental infection of laboratory primates with measles represents an invaluable source of information regarding the biology and pathogenesis of this virus and continues to be an irreplaceable and unique tool for testing vaccines and treatments. The purpose of this literature review is to summarize and analyze published data on the circulation of the measles virus among free‐living synanthropic and captive primate populations, as well as the results of experiments that have modeled this infection in NHPs.