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London Zoo

Snowdon Aviary. This image is copyright free

Up until the late eighteenth century nature had generally been seen in a negative light, something to be afraid of and shut out. Early intimations of change came about when Queen Charlotte created a naturalistic Hyde Park in 1728, and Charles Hamilton created the park landscape of Painshill Park from 1738. Slowly nature became something that people idealised. Then in the nineteenth century the division between man and the rest of nature was finally demolished by a number of scientists, most famously by Charles Darwin. Darwin's work made it clear that all species of life were interrelated. Zoos, fittingly, became very popular in nineteenth century England. Wild and exotic animals had been kept for a long time as symbols of wealth. King Shalgia of Mesopotamia founded a zoo in 2000BC. Henry VIII kept lions and other wild animals at the Tower of London, and James I had a similar collection in St James's Park. But the zoo as a popular institution came into being in Victorian times. The Zoological Gardens in London's Regent's Park, the world's first public zoo, opened as a scientific collection in 1828 with grounds laid out by Decimus Burton. The original collection was of four hundred and thirty animals and birds donated from the Royal Menagerie. London Zoo, therefore, serves as a link between the old type of zoo as a private collection, and the new type of zoo as a public institution.

Even before the official public opening in 1847 London Zoo was a huge attraction, with thirty thousand visiting in the first seven months to look at the animals, while bands played on the bandstand. As A.N. Wilson noted in The Victorians, the experience of looking a chimpanzee in the eye, and seeing their human-like expressions and gestures must have been something of a revelation. Amateur botany had become fashionable, and since 1844 people had been reading Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation, published anonymously, and later revealed as the work of publisher Robert Chambers. In this book Chambers introduced to a wide audience the idea that all life on Earth had a common origin, and that life had come about as a result of evolutionary laws. Scientists, Darwin included, were snooty about Vestiges, but this book prepared the ground for publication and widespread acceptance of The Origin of Species in 1859. The same could be said of London Zoo.

The Clock Tower and the Giraffe House, now both listed buildings, survive from Decimus Burton's original conception. In the subsequent development of the zoo, other leading architects were hired. Berthold Lubetkin's 1930s Round House, for gorillas, and Penguin Pool are both grade 1 listed, although the Penguin Pool is not considered suitable for penguins anymore!

London Zoo also has a facility at Whipsnade, Bedfordshire, where more space is available for the collection.

 

Opening Times: London Zoo is open every day, except for Christmas Day.

6th March to 16th July 10am - 5.30pm

17th July to 5th September 10am - 6pm

6th September to 30th October 10am - 5.30pm.

31st October to 7th November 10am - 4.30pm

8th November to January 10am - 4pm.

Last admission one hour prior to closing.

Address: ZSL London Zoo, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY

Access: There is a limited amount of disabled parking at the zoo entrance, and a pay and display car park. Most of the zoo is wheelchair accessible. The Aquarium is accessible via a rear entrance. Ask at the Information Kiosk for help. There are some steep paths. Manual and electric wheelchairs are available, and these are best reserved beforehand. Telephone 020 7449 6576. Adapted toilet facilities are provided. Large print guides are available from the Information Kiosk.

Directions: London Zoo is in the northern part of Regent's Park in north London. There is ample, if expensive car parking, and this area is outside the congestion zone - Nearest Underground stations are Camden Town, Regent's Park and Baker Street. Click here for an interactive map centred on London Zoo.

Contact:

telephone: 020 7722 3333

fax: 020 7586 5743

for educational visits telephone: 020 7449 6557

web site: http://www.zsl.org/