15 Things You Didn’t Know About Lincoln Park Zoo

1. Lincoln Park Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in the country—and remains the longest-running free zoo.

In 1868, two pairs of mute swans arrived in Chicago as a gift from New York City’s Central Park. This event marked the beginning of Lincoln Park Zoo, and other animals soon followed as Lincoln Park commissioners started creating the rules and decrees that would bring the zoo to life. In 1878, those authorities declared that the zoo must always remain free.

2. Park Place Café was the site of the city’s first aquarium.

Before the John G. Shedd Aquarium opened in 1930, Chicago residents could see fish and other aquatic animals at Lincoln Park Zoo. The aquarium was located at what’s now Park Place Café, in the center of the zoo. You can see signs of the original usage of the building in the designs that mark its exterior.

3. Laflin Memorial Building, where the zoo’s administrative offices are today, was once the city’s first science museum.

In 1857, this building at 2001 North Clark Street housed the Chicago Academy of Sciences, which was the original home of the Atwood Celestial Sphere that now sits at the Adler Planetarium. In the 1990s, the building was repurposed to contain the offices of zoo personnel. From the front, Laflin can be distinguished by the statue of lions along Clark Street.

4. Lincoln Park Zoo is haunted.

Lincoln Park Zoo was partially built on top of a large burial ground near Lake Michigan’s edge. However, as cholera spread through the north side of Chicago, residents began to believe that City Cemetery was a major source of infection and officials worked to remove it. Eventually, the space became home to a public park at the city’s northern border. This history has caused many haunted legends to spring up around Lincoln Park Zoo, including ghosts at the lion house and Laflin Memorial Building. To learn more, you’ll want to take Adam Selzer’s Haunted History Tours Tuesdays and Wednesdays in October!

5. Lincoln Park Zoo became a private institution in 1995, separate from the Chicago Park District.

After 127 years of being managed by the Chicago Park District and operating within the city’s budget, Lincoln Park Zoo came under the management of The Lincoln Park Zoological Society and became a private entity. This allowed the zoo to expand its programming and focus on conservation. Today, the zoo still receives financial and other support from the City of Chicago and the Chicago Park District, but 80% of its funding comes from donors, members, event attendees, and guests.

6. The zoo composts animal waste.

The animals at Lincoln Park Zoo produce plenty of poop. That waste can add to landfills and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, unless it’s disposed of responsibly. This is why the zoo composts, turning animal by-products into nutrient-rich fertilizer. This waste, along with food debris and plant cutting, results in up to 93,000 pounds per month of fertilizer that can be used to help new plants grow. That’s the equivalent of 35 adult eastern black rhinos!

7. The zoo has 33,000 feet of green roofs that benefit Chicago.

As part of the zoo’s commitment to sustainability, Horticulture staff members maintain 18 green roofs on zoo buildings. While most of these roofs are higher up or behind-the scenes and thus not viewable by guests, you can see a few of them from strategic spots around the zoo—like Bird’s Eye Bar & Grill, which overlooks the greenery atop Pepper Family Wildlife Center. These roofs provide energy-saving benefits to the zoo as well as the city, as they manage water runoff from streets, sidewalks, and parking lots to keep nearby bodies of water cleaner. The roofs also cool buildings and the surrounding air down and provide additional habitat for pollinators.

8. The food served to the animals is human-grade and of restaurant quality.

Nutrition for the animals at the zoo is very important, and each individual on grounds receives a special diet based on factors such as natural history, age, sex, body condition, and even personal preference. Staff members in the zoo’s Nutrition Center create these diets from scratch based on scientific guidelines and review them annually to make sure they are optimal. And all the food is safe for humans. From produce to peanut butter (which almost every animal loves), zoo residents are getting the best quality possible.

9. The apes have a dedicated herb garden.

Behind Regenstein Center for African Apes, there’s a small garden that provides flowers and herbs for the gorillas and chimps at Lincoln Park Zoo. This garden is pesticide-free, and every plant is reviewed by Veterinary staff to make sure it’s safe for the animals to consume.

10. The zoo has six science centers that undertake conservation research.

Lincoln Park Zoo pioneers research that helps animals in human care as well as wild animals around the world. Much of this work is conducted at the zoo’s science centers, including the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Population Management Center, the Alexander Center for Applied Population Biology, the Urban Wildlife Institute, the Davee Center for Epidemiology, the Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, and the Animal Welfare Science Program. This science guides reintroductions, provides protections for great apes, bolsters populations for animals like the Puerto Rican parrot, fights wildlife trafficking, and improves animal wellbeing.

11. The zoo has a naming policy to ensure that animal names inspire respect and empathy for wildlife.

This zoo-wide policy makes sure the names of animals reflect zoo values while sharing information about an animal’s care or their individual history. In some cases their names may also reflect critical conservation efforts for a species—like gorillas Mondika and Djeke, who are named after field sites where scientists study wild populations.

12. Zoo enrichment is often made by hand.

At Lincoln Park Zoo, enrichment is part of the animals’ daily routine. It’s designed to elicit natural behaviors and engage their senses. And while some enrichment is purchased, much of it is homemade! The zoo has a dedicated volunteer corps that helps create enrichment items from craft materials including paper and PVC. Of course, every idea is reviewed by experts, including veterinary staff members, to ensure safety. And all enrichment goes through a process of evaluation to ensure it is always being used effectively by the animals.

13. A zoo-designed installation at O’Hare International Airport explains the dangers of wildlife trafficking.

Battling the illegal trade of animals and animal products is an important part of Lincoln Park Zoo’s work. If you walk through Terminal 5 at O’Hare, you’ll see an informational display that outlines the issue and encourages people to travel smart so they can help reduce demand for trafficked animals while they are traveling.

14. Peoples Gas Education Pavilion is shaped like a turtle’s shell.

One of the most iconic sights in Lincoln Park is the zoo’s Peoples Gas Education Pavilion, which appears in many promotional materials for the city of Chicago. Some erroneously call this photo op destination by the zoo’s South Pond the “honeycomb”—but actually, the recently renovated structure designed by Studio Gang is meant to evoke a turtle’s shell. And by the way, if you want to use it in professional photos, you’ll need a zoo-issued permit.

15. Lincoln Park Zoo invests in the future of conservation—and Chicago.

Through learning programs for children and teens, the zoo acts as an incubator for the next generation of conservationists. For example, the Malott Family Zoo Intern Program allows high school students to work as interpreters on zoo grounds, while the Malott Family Research Apprenticeship Program lets students engage in authentic scientific research. Meanwhile, the Community Engagement team partners with organizations in city neighborhoods like Austin, North Lawndale, and Little Village to co-create programs which connect citizens with nature and create meaningful change.