Central Park Zoo

The first position on the list of the oldest zoos in the United States is the Central Park Zoo. It is a component of an integrated system run by the Wildlife Conservation Society that includes four zoos and one aquarium (WCS). The WCS collaborates with the Central Park Zoo to run educational programs for kids, work to restore the populations of endangered species, and engage with the neighborhood through volunteer initiatives.

Its forerunner, a menagerie, was established in 1864 and became the first public zoo in New York to open. The current building was a part of a broader rejuvenation initiative of municipal parks, playgrounds, and zoos launched in 1934 by Robert Moses, commissioner of the New York Public Department of Parks and Recreation (NYC Parks). The current building first opened as a city zoo on December 2, 1934. It was largely constructed with the help of WPA and Civil Works Administration (CWA) finance and manpower. In 1960, the Children's Zoo, which is located to the north of the main zoo, opened thanks to a gift from Senator Herbert Lehman and his wife Edith.

The Central Park Zoo closed in 1983 for rebuilding after 49 years of existence as a city zoo administered by NYC Parks. The zoo's cages were entirely replaced with naturalistic settings as part of a five-year, $35 million refurbishment project. On August 8, 1988, it was rededicated as a part of a system of five establishments run by the WCS and all of which have earned accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

Year Opened: 1864
Location: Central Park, New York City, New York