Celebrating 150 Years of the Cincinnati Zoo

The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden celebrates the 150th anniversary of its opening in 2025. It has grown from humble beginnings into a world-renowned Zoo and Botanical Garden, earning the top spot in each category in multiple national polls. It has been my home for the past 50 years, so I’ve witnessed and participated in its growth and evolution. We’ve made incredible strides in wildlife conservation, deepening partnerships locally and globally to increase our impact and mobilize the Zoo community to support coexistence between humans and wildlife. We are nationally recognized as The Greenest Zoo in America, reducing our carbon footprint with major water, energy and waste savings. Our Lindner Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW) is an industry leader in reproductive biology.

In our anniversary year, we will reflect on our rich history while running toward our bright future! There is much to be done as we continue the work of bringing people “close enough to care” about animals and the planet. Cincinnati has always been a Zoo town and for that we thank you and hope to see you soon at the Zoo!

Thane Maynard
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Director

History

The Zoological Society of Cincinnati was founded in 1873 and officially opened its doors in 1875, making the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden the second oldest Zoo in the United States. The Zoo’s original animal collection was very small, originally consisting of just eight monkeys, two grizzly bears, three deer, six raccoons, two elk, a buffalo, a hyena, a tiger, an alligator, a circus elephant, and over four hundred birds, including a talking crow. The Zoo was founded on 65 acres in the middle of the city, and since then has acquired some of the surrounding blocks and several reserves in Cincinnati’s suburbs.

In the Zoo’s 150-year history, there have been quite a few notable highlights:

Zoo Pavilion-1950s
Zoo Entrance
Sea Lion 1900
Aviaries
Eagle Homes
Parking 1920s
Monkey House/Reptile House 1930s
Insectarium
1900s Elephant House
CREW Building
Zoo Entrance 1920s
Historic Zoo Flyer
Elephant House
Restaurant
Historic Zoo Flyer
1900s - Elk in Snow
Bear Pits
Interior Carnivore House
Monkey House
Deer Park

Pins

As part of our 150th anniversary, we are rolling out a PIN-credible Pin Trading program as a fun way to celebrate the milestone, engage with PIN-thusiasts and bring the Zoo’s rich history and its iconic elements to life.

Purchase Pins

PIN-tro to pin trading

New, limited-edition collectible pins will be available for purchase in the Zoo Shop and new ones will be released each month.

There will also be exclusive pins released each month that can not be purchased but can only be acquired by trading with a zoo employee or volunteer.

Pin Trading Guidelines

Only Official Cincinnati Zoo pins may be traded.
Guests can only trade one pin per staff member each time
Pins should be in good, undamaged, tradable condition with the pin backing attached.
When trading with a staff member, guests should offer a pin that is not currently displayed on the staff member’s lanyard.

Coming in 2025

During its 150th anniversary year, the Zoo will open several new habitats, including a new area of Elephant Trek, Bear Ridge, Sea Otter Coast, and a new space for mixed primate species in Jungle Trails. These projects demonstrate the Zoo’s commitment to creating exceptional animal environments that inspire guests to connect with nature.

New World Primate

Opening spring 2025

Located near the main entrance of Jungle Trails, the New World Primates habitat will be home to three species – golden headed lion tamarin, white-faced saki monkey, and black howler monkey.

Final Phase of Elephant Trek

Opening spring 2025

New area will feature Siamang gibbons, Asian small-clawed otters, and rhinoceros hornbills.

Bear Ridge

Opening fall 2025

In the middle of the area formerly known as Bear Hill, visitors will be able to see North American black bears.

Adventure Trail

Opening fall 2025

Located next to Bear Ridge, this area will be a place to rest, explore, and play in a natural setting that includes:

A winding path surrounded by trees and rock formations
Rock steps and “caves” that lead to a suspended rope bridge
Hidden sculptures of native North American animals—including Indiana bats, an American kestrel, an Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake, and more!
A “Who Goes There?” scat game that encourages visitors to identify scat sculptures “left behind” by native North American animals
Interpretive signage developed in partnership with the Myaamia Center at Miami University

Sea Otter Coast

Opening fall 2025

Sea Otter Coast will feature a massive underwater viewing area, while the upper areas will be redesigned to provide homes for black bears and other species native to North America.

Botanical Garden: Then and Now

The Gardens and planted landscapes of the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden were inspired by events of over 150 years ago. After the civil war, populations grew, innovation and discovery thrived. The sciences inspired public interest, bringing concern for health to the foreground during a time of crowded, polluted cities. It was an age in which botany and zoology also sparked curiosity. So, led by Andrew Erkenbrecher and inspired by Adolf Strauch (Spring Grove), the leaders of Cincinnati looked to Europe for inspiration.

Zoos in the mid to late 18^th century Europe had taken a turn from animal menageries to Zoological Gardens that incorporated existing natural water features, forested areas and large landscaped parklike expanses containing trees, shrubs, and lawns. When the Cincinnati Zoo was first conceptualized, Cincinnati was a thriving city with substantial German heritage. Therefore, the leaders of the time primarily looked to the German ideas of Zoological Gardens described as some of the most landscape-focused and naturally incorporated exhibits of the time. They chiefly modeled Cincinnati Zoological Gardens after this ideal. Andrew Erkenbrecher and the leaders of Cincinnati chose Avondale for its gently rolling hills and streams which were easily incorporated into natural exhibits.

“A botanical garden or botanic garden is a garden with a documented collection of living plants for the purpose of scientific research, conservation, display, and education.”

—Merriam-Webster

In the early 1900’s, there was a movement towards a more naturalized look in zoos. Additionally, the important health benefits of gardens spurred even more interest in them. Cities added large landscapes to escape the ever-worsening stale city air, and food shortages during WWII stirred the beginning of Victory Gardens. It was the age of plant collection and American Landscape Architects continued to take influence from Europe. Although late to the party, they would eventually develop their own styles using large natural landscapes combined with an exotic and floral throwback to the greener formal Italian garden. This unique practice took inspiration from the Gardenesque style, which incorporated floral beds and exotic plants into large strolling landscapes.

Cincinnati Zoological Garden was a leader in the naturalized look going so far as to give rise to barless exhibits. Albert Erkenbrecher, son of founder Andrew Erkenbrecher, always intended to include a Botanical Garden nearby, but due to financial reasons, it did not work out. As it turns out historically, the plant collections were incorporated into the Zoological grounds. Many trees and unusual plants were planted and labeled with scientific and common name for public education. It was thought that “practically every tree that will grow in this climate” would be included on grounds. During the turn of the century, Cincinnati’s Zoological Gardens included Victorian era gardenesque strolling gardens often found on wealthy private estates. But these were accessible to everyone in Cincinnati. These gardens showed off formal flower “cushion” or “carpet” beds popular at the time.

Even through the Zoological Gardens’ history of promoting botanical science, natural conservation, public education, and display of richly planted grounds, it was not until 1987 that the Cincinnati Zoo gained the official title of Botanical Garden in its name. Today, you can still find influence from Victorian Gardens and Germanic Zoological Gardens around every corner of our zoo. We are proud to be leaders in plant conservation and education and continue to keep one of the best labeled gardens in the country. And most importantly, we still provide a healthy, green, beautiful oasis for strolling within our city of Cincinnati.

Once the Monkey House, the Reptile House hails as the oldest existing zoo building in the United States. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, along with the Passenger Pigeon Memorial and the Elephant House. In recent years, the roof was newly painted back to the original red roof color from 100 years ago. It has become a beautiful, picturesque background for our centrally placed display gardens.

Bandstand to Centroid:

The Centroid is a garden space that memorializes zoologic garden history. For as long as we know, the Cincinnati Zoo has hosted music surrounded by trees and flowers. As you gaze upon the beautiful floral displays and treed landscape before you, with lake and waterfall on either side, let your imagination take you back to the seventeenth century.

Music has always been an important part of German heritage. In addition to the animals, The Zoological Society strived to include other cultural activities within the zoo. Music and gardens were an important part of the zoo’s culture. The center of the zoo, near the lake, became the center of the city’s culture where art and nature collided. In the space close to today’s red panda habitat, a small simple bandstand was added in 1881. Over time, the space would morph into strolling areas of floral gardens and beautiful vistas. In 1889, a larger Moorish bandstand was added. (Fun fact: one of our garden beds near there is called a “gazebo bed” because it once housed a gazebo. It was not the Morrish bandstand, but one wonders if it was placed there to pay tribute to the gazebo-like bandstand at one time.) Eventually, the popularity of the arts would inspire a concrete bandshell as well as an opera house. But these were in a different area altogether.

Today, we still celebrate music among the flowers. We hope that you can join us this year during Tunes & Blooms!

Zoo Entrance—Then and Now:

Gardens have often played a part in directing people through public places; The Cincinnati Zoo is no exception. In earlier photos you will notice a simple path lined with trees depicting the naturalized style of landscape in which the zoo was founded. This simple style leaves you with no question as to where you should enter the zoo.

In this modern day, layouts of public spaces have become more intricate. Landscaping and design have also developed giving us more tools in our design toolbox. Today we use annual color and textures to help lead visitors through the zoo and gardens and our larger permanent landscaped trees and shrubs become our canvas background on which to paint. Bold colors and textures catch your eye leading you towards habitats or dining areas and cooler colors with finer textures create the mood. All these plantings are intentionally creating an oasis for visitors and animals within an arid city surrounding. As you stroll through the gardens what do you notice? How does your mood change as you enter different spaces?

Primary resources:

The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden: From Past to Present by David Ehrlinger
Various internet sources on 19^th century gardens

Celebrating 150 Years of the Cincinnati Zoo

History

Pins

Coming in 2025

Botanical Garden: Then and Now

Growing Our Impact

Shop 150!