The most beautiful zoos

red river hog

red river hog

Well-Known Member
5+ year member
I did a bit of searching and couldn't find any other threads like this, but what zoo do you think has the most beautiful atmosphere. I personally think that the Philadelphia Zoo has a really nice atmosphere, though it doesn't have the most naturalistic exhibits. Feel free to share what you think.
 
Jersey zoo in the UK I think has the atmosphere, picturesque surroundings, the history, the story and the species which is a recipe which make it what I would call beautiful.

In terms of beauty in a grander more historic and aesthetic sense though from some of the pictures I've seen in the gallery many of the German / Austrian zoos (Vienna comes to mind) have beautiful turn of the last century Art Noveau architecture / buildings. I haven't been to any of these though to see them.

I would say that Jardin des Plantes in Paris is another one that like the German examples I mentioned above has that historic stateliness and beauty. I have been to this zoo and personally I found it to be very beautiful and particularly with the surrounding gardens and of course the museums which give it that majestic feel as part of the bigger narrative of natural history and science.
 
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Onychorhynchus coronatus said:
Jersey zoo in the UK I think has the atmosphere, picturesque surroundings, the history, the story and the species. This is a recipe which make it what I would call beautiful.

In terms of beauty in a grander more historic and aesthetic sense though from some of the pictures I've seen in the gallery many of the German / Austrian zoos (Vienna comes to mind) have beautiful turn of the century Art Noveau architecture / buildings.
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I agree, looking at pictures of the Jersey Zoo in the gallery definitely seem like has a picturesque atmosphere. Historical preservation also is something I like to see as well in zoos. :)
 
I suppose for me Jardin des Plantes still has that old-school feel with the atmosphere influenced a lot by the general aesthetics in terms of the sculptures and architectural styles of the buildings etc.
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Photo credits to @lintworm and @Juancho.
 
Onychorhynchus coronatus said:
Jersey zoo in the UK I think has the atmosphere, picturesque surroundings, the history, the story and the species which is a recipe which make it what I would call beautiful.

In terms of beauty in a grander more historic and aesthetic sense though from some of the pictures I've seen in the gallery many of the German / Austrian zoos (Vienna comes to mind) have beautiful turn of the last century Art Noveau architecture / buildings. I haven't been to any of these though to see them.

I would say that Jardin des Plantes in Paris is another one that like the German examples I mentioned above has that historic stateliness and beauty. I have been to this zoo and personally I found it to be very beautiful and particularly with the surrounding gardens and of course the museums which give it that majestic feel as part of the bigger narrative of natural history and science.
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I would agree with you on Jardin des Plantes and Jersey. Bristol here in the U.K. is another strong contender. Not London Zoo any more, sadly. Maybe Whipsnade...
 
From what I've seen via the gallery and heard from people who have visited the zoo Vienna has to be one of the most aesthetically beautiful zoos out there.

The Baroque architecture really makes the zoo look beautiful and classy rather than commercial, tacky and cheap as many zoos unfortunately give the appearance of being.
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The outdoor landscaping really is beautiful.
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Many of the enclosures are not perfect from a husbandry point of view but they certainly look very elegant aesthetically.
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Some of the buildings combine both excellence in husbandry with aesthetics and really get it right like the desert exhibit.
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I love that the historic enclosures that are no longer in use for animals are instead used to showcase the history and through the display of art like these lion sculptures.
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These kind of historic aviaries that are still in use are beautiful too and I presume are still good for the birds kept inside them.
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Even the rat and insect houses look quite beautiful and picturesque.
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Photo credits to @twilighter, @JamesB, @lintworm and @Maguari and @nikola.
 
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My hometown zoo the Minnesota zoo is particularly beautiful in the wintertime, mainly because for some reason no one seems to be there in the wintertime, even though you can literally see every animal in the zoo all-year round, which is a plus. I went to the Pumpkin light show (forget what its called) last year, and though that was a crowded event, I felt like everyone around me was in aw with all the beautiful pumpkin carvings around the walking trail. Sadly, the Inflatable light show that I went to a few hours ago was drastically underwhelming, but it was really just to support the zoo, not to entertain the guests. But most of the zoo has a lot of beautiful forest paths, large peaceful exhibits, and the wonderful lake next to the Mussel exhibits at the end of the northern trail. Overall, an aesthetically beautiful institution.
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Photo credits to Myself, Baldur, and Dhole dude.
 
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I think another one that comes to mind that I also haven't visited but really would like to in the future (if and only if they keep the birds) is Waddesdon aviary at the historic home of the Rothschild family.

As can be imagined there is a lot of history here and of the zoological and history of science variety too.
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It isn't a huge zoo and in fact it is debatable whether it be called a "zoo" as it is simply a very ornate 19th century aviary building that is still in use in a stately home open to the public.
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But who cares about the "zoo definition" and the size of the place it is just put quite simply beautiful.
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The landscaping and surrounding gardens are stunning and really enhance the aesthetics of the place and I'm sure benefit the wellbeing of the birds kept in the aviary too.
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It looks to be even beautiful and elegant after dark.
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Last but not least the residents of the aviaries themselves really add to the beauty of the building and the gardens and I imagine that if they were to go the place would lose its soul and character. Also, these birds are mainly of conservation concern so Waddesdon despite the small size of its aviary does have a conservation output.
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Photo credit to @ro6ca66, @Maguari and @Writhedhornbill.
 
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There really is no contest in my opinion; as regards the atmosphere of the zoo itself, and the architecture and botanical displays within, it *has* to be Wilhelma in Stuttgart, whilst in terms of the overall environment and the surrounding area, Alpenzoo Innsbruck and Highland Wildlife Park certainly win the title.
 
FBBird said:
I would agree with you on Jardin des Plantes and Jersey. Bristol here in the U.K. is another strong contender. Not London Zoo any more, sadly. Maybe Whipsnade...
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Absolutely agree with you regarding Bristol, it was indeed a very beautiful zoo and it is very sad what has happened.

London is one of the ugliest zoos in my opinion and really contrasts sharply with Jardin des Plantes or Vienna in the way that it has allowed its history to weight it down and sink it rather than merging both path and present aesthetically.
 
I honestly don't really think all these older historical sites are the most beautiful... I think something more along the lines of a Burgers' Zoo or a Zürich to be more beautiful, with their incredible indoor halls and facilities. Whilst ofcourse not perfect I think these zoos do it more for me then the old historical facilities.
 
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