Lincoln Park Zoo

The 14hectare Lincoln Park Zoo, often known as Lincoln Park Zoological Gardens, is located in Chicago, Illinois. The zoo, which was established in 1868, is the fourth-oldest in North America. It is also one of the few American zoos that offer free entrance. A certified member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the zoo (AZA).

Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo was established in 1868 as a result of a donation of two pairs of mute swans from New York's Central Park menagerie. The city made the decision to create an official animal collection when the swans were put in the South Pond in Lincoln Park. The Lincoln Park Zoo's first animal house was constructed in 1870, and over the years, it continued to grow.

Cyrus DeVry was appointed as the Lincoln Park Zoo's first-ever official director in 1888. DeVry spent more than 30 years working at the zoo. Although many early zoos used to buy their animals from circuses, the Lincoln Park Zoo was one of the first to decommercialize animal transfers. The Lincoln Park Zoo, currently ranked among the greatest zoos in the nation, turns 150 this year, in 2018. One of the few zoos in the US that offers free entry and depends on donations to operate is the Lincoln Park Zoo.

Year Opened: 1868
Location: Lincoln Park, Chicago, Illinois