Central Park Landmarks
Central Park Zoo Pedicab Tour
The Central Park Zoo is a small zoo on the east side of Central Park between 63rd and 66th Streets, run by the Wildlife Conservation Society. Its sea lion pool can be seen from outside the gates, and the Delacorte Clock nearby is one of the park's most popular small attractions.
Photo: Mike Peel · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source
Quick facts
- Where
- East side of the park, between 63rd and 66th Streets
- Opened
- December 2, 1934; redesigned and reopened August 8, 1988
- Designers
- the Parks team led by Aymar Embury II (1934) and architect Kevin Roche (1988)
- Run by
- the Wildlife Conservation Society
- Zones
- Tropic, Temperate and Polar
- Next to
- the Arsenal, home of NYC Parks headquarters
Want to see Central Park Zoo?
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History
A zoo was not part of Olmsted and Vaux's original 1858 plan. An informal collection of animals grew up near the Arsenal in the 1860s, helped by donations from people such as August Belmont, Samuel Morse and P.T. Barnum. By the early 1930s the old menagerie buildings were so decayed that officials feared the big cats might escape.
The present zoo was built as a Depression-era project and opened on December 2, 1934, under Parks Commissioner Robert Moses. The Parks design team, led by Aymar Embury II, designed its brick-and-limestone "picture-book zoo" in 16 days, and it was built in about eight months with relief workers. Frederick G. R. Roth made the bronze dancing goat and bear and the limestone reliefs. In 1980 the city partnered with the New York Zoological Society, now the Wildlife Conservation Society, to run the zoo. Architect Kevin Roche redesigned it into tropical, temperate and polar zones, and it reopened on August 8, 1988.
The Delacorte Clock, a gift from George Delacorte unveiled in 1965, stands over a path between the zoo and the Tisch Children's Zoo. Six bronze animals rotate and play instruments, including a penguin, kangaroo, bear, elephant, goat and hippo, while two bronze monkeys strike the bell.
What to look for
- The sea lion pool, visible from outside the zoo
- The Delacorte Clock and its bronze animals
- Eight granite eagle statues that once stood on a demolished Brooklyn bridge
- The Arsenal building next door, built between 1847 and 1851
Visiting Central Park Zoo
Tickets are sold through the Wildlife Conservation Society, and advance reservations may be needed, so check current details. The zoo is a short distance from Balto Statue and Wollman Rink. There are no restrooms at the Delacorte Clock.
Frequently asked questions
Who designed the Central Park Zoo?
Aymar Embury II led the 1934 design, and Kevin Roche designed the 1988 redesign.
When did the zoo open?
The current zoo opened on December 2, 1934, and reopened after redesign on August 8, 1988.
Who runs the zoo?
The Wildlife Conservation Society.
What is the Delacorte Clock?
A musical animated clock near the zoo, with six bronze animals that play instruments and two monkeys that strike a bell.
Sources
Nearby landmarks
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