{"id":9262,"date":"2020-10-06T15:03:04","date_gmt":"2020-10-06T15:03:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tiqets-blog-staging.local\/oldest-zoos-in-the-world\/"},"modified":"2025-08-22T08:48:01","modified_gmt":"2025-08-22T08:48:01","slug":"oldest-zoos-in-the-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tiqets.com\/blog\/oldest-zoos-in-the-world\/","title":{"rendered":"The Oldest Zoos in the World You Can Still Visit Today","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u2013<\/em>\u00a0This post was written by Liam McGarry<\/em>\u00a0\u2013<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The oldest zoos in the world are renowned institutions, proud bastions of animal protection and conservation. Let\u2019s not beat around the bush, though. They\u2019re also home to some of the cutest critters on Earth.

Animals have fascinated us since the beginning of time. Cave drawings suggest that humans kept dogs as pets as far back as Paleolithic times \u2013 #dogsofinstagram<\/a> <\/strong>in its original form.

But it wasn\u2019t until the 18th century that the idea of public zoos really began to take hold. If you thought you were fascinated by animals, imagine seeing a monkey in 1779.

The history of zoos is at times a sad timeline in which human entertainment took priority over animal welfare. Centuries of scientific study, and a fair bit of self reflection, have led to most zoos adopting a welfare and conservation-first approach.

Thankfully, animal parks and experiences are under more scrutiny than ever before, with the welfare of animals becoming a key driver in visitors choosing where to get their fix of fantastic beasts and adorable animals.

Below are 10 of the oldest zoos in the world accredited by WAZA<\/a><\/strong> or EAZA<\/a><\/strong>, formerly home to celebrity gorillas, death-defying hippos, and fashion-influencing giraffes!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. The Oldest Zoo in the World: Tiergarten Sch\u00f6nbrunn<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Opened in 1752
<\/em> <\/strong><\/strong> <\/em>Vienna, Austria<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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Sch\u00f6nbrunn Zoo is the oldest zoo in the world
Photo by Tiergarten Sch\u00f6nbrunn<\/a><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Many of the oldest known animal collections were status symbols made possible by royal wealth, so it\u2019s no surprise that the oldest zoo on Earth has regal beginnings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vienna\u2019s Tiergarten Sch\u00f6nbrunn is the oldest zoo in the world. It began as a royal menagerie in 1752, symbolic of imperial Austrian extravagance, and of Emperor Franz I’s keen interest in the natural world. Luckily he was much closer in name and nature to St. Francis than Joe Exotic<\/a><\/strong>.

His wife, and head of the Royal House of Habsburg, Mar\u00eda Teresa, agreed to support his boyish dream to build a marvelous menagerie on one condition \u2013 that it didn\u2019t house any animals capable of eating her children. So<\/em> demanding.

Soon the grounds of Sch\u00f6nbrunn Palace were alive with the sounds (and likely smells) of animals procured from all over the world. Monkeys, antelopes, and all manner of colorful birds were part of the zoo\u2019s very first collection.

It wasn\u2019t a cheap hobby \u2013 you can imagine Franz\u2019s disappointment when the zebra he craved proved too expensive even for the Grand Duke of Tuscany.

It wasn\u2019t until 1779, with the opening of the Palace Gardens, that the public could see these exotic creatures in the flesh, fur and feather. Other wild wonders would find a place at Sch\u00f6nbrunn over the centuries, including a famous giraffe in 1828, which was so popular it influenced Viennese fashion. This probably didn\u2019t extend to neck scarves.

Plainly, even the most well-intentioned zoologists during the 18th and 19th centuries didn\u2019t know how to look after these animals. Plucked from their natural habitats and transported across the globe by people who knew nothing of their needs, many of the creatures lived short and stressful lives.

Luckily, a lot more is known about how to care for animals in the 21st century, and the residents of Tiergarten Sch\u00f6nbrunn are healthy and well-treated. The zoo is regularly voted one of the world\u2019s best, and you can wander the park, which retains its imperial layout, to see tigers, orangutans, koalas, elephants, and even pandas on loan from China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. The Second Oldest Zoo in the World: M\u00e9nagerie du Jardin des Plantes<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Opened in 1794
<\/em> <\/strong> <\/em>Paris, France<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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An early 20th century photo of M\u00e9nagerie du Jardin des Plantes
Photo by artnouveau.com<\/a><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Despite inventing the word, the French are only second on this list of magical m\u00e9nageries. <\/em>The second oldest zoo in the world is Paris\u2019 M\u00e9nagerie du Jardin des Plantes.

Having already been France\u2019s premier botanical garden for 150 years, Jardin des Plantes sought to add a little fauna to its abundance of flora in 1793. A year later the gates were opened to swarms of locals aiming to get a look at some peculiar creatures.

The first animals in the park came from the unloved menagerie at Versailles, with more being brought in from the private collection belonging to the Duke of Orl\u00e9ans.

Within a few years there were stamping elephants, leggy ostriches, round bears, and more, accrued during Napoleon\u2019s all-conquering travels and as gifts from well-to-do families around Europe.

In 1827, Zarafa the giraffe arrived at the park, where she would live in her rotunda \u2013 and in the hearts of Parisians \u2013 for another 18 years.

Over time, buildings and enclosures were built to house the influx of new animals that were arriving at the zoo, which had become the biggest in Europe. Many of these unique architectural relics remain today as listed buildings, meaning the animals of M\u00e9nagerie du Jardin des Plantes aren\u2019t the only draw.

Nowadays when you\u2019re not admiring the art-deco vivarium, you can see endangered species like giant tortoises, snow leopards and the Arabian oryx. You can also chat with the staff through \u2018meet the keeper\u2019 events to learn about the numerous threats to our planet\u2019s biodiversity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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