While Philadelphia claims the first zoo chartered in the United States (1859), New York's own Central Park Zoo began as an ad hoc menagerie at the same time, and while Philadelphia's zoo opened in 1874, the menagerie at Central Park was fully institutionalized long before then.

Excellent question! Zoos in the 1800s were primarily in major European capital cities and a few large American cities. They were symbols of imperial power, scientific inquiry, and public entertainment for the growing urban middle class.

Here’s a breakdown of where they were and what they were like:

The Core Locations: Europe’s Capitals

The modern public zoo was essentially a European invention of the early-to-mid 1800s.

• Vienna, Austria (1752): The Tiergarten Schönbrunn, founded by the Habsburg monarchy, is considered the oldest continuously operating zoo in the world. It started as a royal menagerie and was opened to the public in 1779, but it truly evolved into a public institution in the 1800s.
• Paris, France (1793): The Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes was founded after the French Revolution, when the royal menagerie at Versailles was moved to Paris. It was tied to the natural history museum, emphasizing science and education.
• London, England (1828): The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) founded its gardens in Regent’s Park. It was initially a private collection for scientific study by fellows of the society. It opened to the public in 1847 and became the model for the modern civic zoo.
• Berlin, Germany (1844): The Zoologischer Garten Berlin was the first zoo in Germany. It was a joint-stock company and quickly became a major civic attraction, famous for its impressive animal architecture.
• Amsterdam, Netherlands (1838):