History

The Saint Louis Zoo has educated, entertained and earned a place in the hearts of St. Louisans for generations. With the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in 1904, there began a long and slow process to establish a zoological park. Sure enough, local pride in the giant elliptical bird cage led to formation of a St. Louis Zoological Society in 1910. The City of St. Louis set aside 77 acres in Forest Park for a zoo and named a Zoological Board of Control in 1913. State legislation provided that "the zoo shall be forever free," which has kept the Zoo accessible to millions of visitors ever since.

Zoo Timeline

1904: World's Fair Flight Cage
1910: establishment of Zoological Park
1921: Bear Pits, Primate House, Reptile House
1930: Bird House, giant pandas, Phil the gorilla and Miss Jim
1962: Zooline Railroad and renovation
1972: ZMD tax and Big Cat Country
1983: ZMD tax increase and Jungle of the Apes
1989: The Living World and Veterinary Hospital
1998: new Children's Zoo
2000: River's Edge, Insectarium, new Zoo president
2003: Penguin & Puffin Coast, Conservation Carousel,
WildCare Institute, Cypress Swamp and Fragile Forest