page_title: Memphis Zoo
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Memphis Zoo / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Exhibits: 1 Teton Trek*; 2 Northwest Passage; 3 Elephants, rhinoceros; 4 Bongos, gazelles, ostriches; 5 Zebras, oryx; 6 Bonteboks; 7 Giraffe; 8 Chickasaw Bluff Trail (planned); 9 Birds and Bees (seasonal); 10 Waterfowl; 11 Primate Canyon; 12 China Exhibit; 13 Hippos; 14 Bonobos; 15 Animals of the Night; 16 Cat Country; 17 Tropical Bird House; 18 Penguin Rock, pelicans; 19 Herpetarium; 20 Dragon's Lair; 21 Round Barn; 22 Aquarium; 23 Once Upon A Farm Facilities: A Administration; C Concessions; E Entrance Plaza; Ed Education Center; G Gate to parking; M Maintenance; P Parking; R Restrooms; Rd Rides; S Ice skating (seasonal); T Picnic tables. ___________ * Under construction in this 2008 image Bird's-eye view of the exhibits and facilities of the Memphis Zoo. Labels added using LibreOffice Draw by the author. Aerial imagery from data download from [USGS The National Map http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/] As stated on their web site [1]: “Map services and data downloaded from The National Map are in the public domain. There are no restrictions, however we request that the following acknowledgment statement of the originating agency be included in products and data derived from our map services when citing, copying, or reprinting:&#160; "Map services and data available from U.S. Geological Survey, National Geospatial Program."&#160; Please go to http://www.usgs.gov/visual-id/credit_usgs.html for further information and details regarding the USGS Visual Identity System.”
context_page_description: The Memphis Zoo, located in Midtown, Memphis, Tennessee, United States, is home to more than 3,500 animals representing over 500 different species. Created in April 1906, the zoo has been a major tenant of Overton Park for more than 100 years. The land currently designated to the Memphis Zoo was defined by the Overton Park master plan in 1888, it is owned by the City of Memphis. The zoo is set on 76 acres, of which approximately 55 acres are developed.
  In 2008, the Memphis Zoo was ranked "#1 Zoo in the U.S." by TripAdvisor. The ranking was based on visitor opinions.
  Since the early 1990s, the Memphis Zoo has invested over $77 million for renovation and expansion. The zoo's animal inhabitants reside in three zones with 19 exhibits, such as Teton Trek, Northwest Passage and China, home to giant pandas Ya Ya and Le Le
  The Memphis Zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
context_section_description: Early 1900s
  The zoo was established on April 4, 1906, with $1,200 from the Memphis Park Commission. In August 1906, 23 cages and concrete bear enclosures were built with another $3,628 thanks to the head of the Commission, Col. Robert Galloway.
  Galloway Hall, the Memphis Zoo's first building, was finished in 1907. It was named in honor of Col. Galloway, but was later demolished to make room for newer exhibits.
  The Carnivora Building was constructed in 1909 to house the first cats at the zoo.  It was later replaced by Cat Country, and converted into an inner-zoo restaurant.
  The Elephant House opened in 1910.  The building is still used as the main building of the zoo's educational department, but the elephants were moved to the African Veldt exhibit.
  In 1916, the Botanical Display Building opened.  It was later converted into the Tropical Bird House.
  The Memphis Zoo acquired a round barn from the Memphis Police Department in 1923, who used the building as their stable for the mounted horse patrol in the early 1900s.  The zoo's round barn exhibit is a collection of exotic hoofstock and birds.
  In 1936, the zoo's first primate exhibit, Monkey Island, was built.  It was replaced in 1995 by Primate Canyon.
  Mid-1900s
  The Aquarium was completed in 1959.  It is one of the oldest exhibits at the Memphis Zoo. The building houses aquatic life from both fresh and salt water environments.  In 1979, it had major renovations.
  The Herpetarium was constructed in 1960, located across from the Tropical Bird House.  The Herpetarium is home to the zoo's snakes, alligators, lizards and frogs.  Later in the year, the Pachyderm/Elephant exhibit was finished, and the elephants moved in from the old elephant house.
  Late 1900s to present
  The zoo renovated its entrance in 1990. The main entrance way was designed by architect, Jeffery Borchardt. It was dubbed as the "Avenue of the Animals" which displays a grand Egyptian motif modeled after the Avenue of Sphinxes in Egypt. The zoo portal facade features a 40' by 163' wall with hieroglyphics of all the animals in the zoo. In the top panels, the Memphis Zoo Mission Statement is written in hieroglyphics.
  Cat Country, a 3-acre (1.2 ha), open-air exhibit focused on both predators and prey of the cat world,  opened in 1993. Tigers and lions share common space with fennec foxes and meerkats. An Education Complex, Discovery Center, and the Elephant's Trunk Zoo Shop also opened at this time. The Carnivora Building that formerly housed the zoo's large cats was remodeled into The Cat House Cafe, which opened in 1994.
  Three new exhibits opened in 1995. Animals of the Night is devoted to nocturnal animals, and reverses their hours from normal so visitors can see them at their most active. Once Upon A Farm was built to resemble an early 1900s farm. 'Primate Canyon features naturalistic, outdoor exhibit areas for a variety of monkeys and apes.
  Dragon's Lair was opened in 1998 for the zoo's three Komodo dragons, and includes outdoor and indoor areas, allowing them to stay warm during the cool winter months. A new animal hospital was also finished in 1998, with separate holding and quarantine wings built on opposite ends of the building. The sick wing separates sick or injured animals from others and allows for proper recovery time. The quarantine wing is used for newly acquired animals, which are quarantined for at least 30 days upon arrival at the zoo before being introduced to their new homes. On September 18, 1998, two plaques were dedicated in memory of musician Jeff Buckley in the Memphis Zoo's Sumatran tiger exhibit. His mother chose that location because of his great love of the Memphis Zoo and the tigers in particular. Jeff frequently visited the zoo, had plans to become a volunteer in 1997 and, according to his mother, never left the zoo without visiting the Butterflies: In Living Color exhibit, which also opened early in 1998. The exhibit was replaced by "Birds and Bees" in late May, 2009.
  In April 2003, the Memphis Zoo became one of only four U.S. zoos to exhibit the giant panda. One male and one female g
caption: Bird's-eye view of the exhibits and facilities of the Memphis Zoo.  Legend Exhibits:  1 Teton Trek* 
   2 Northwest Passage 
   3 Elephants, rhino 
   4 Bongos, gazelles, ostriches 
   5 Zebras, oryx 
   6 Bonteboks 
   7 Giraffe 
   8 Chickasaw Bluff Trail (planned) 
   9 Birds and Bees (seasonal) 
   10 Waterfowl 
   11 Primate Canyon 
   12 China Exhibit 
    13 Hippos 
   14 Bonobos 
   15 Animals of the Night 
   16 Cat Country 
   17 Tropical Bird House 
   18 Penguin Rock, pelicans 
   19 Herpetarium 
   20 Dragon's Lair 
    21 Round Barn 
   22 Aquarium 
   23 Once Upon A Farm  Facilities:  A Administration
   C Concessions
   E Entrance Plaza
   Ed Education Center
   G Gate to parking
   M Maintenance
   P Parking
    R Restrooms
   Rd Rides
   S Ice skating (seasonal)
   T Picnic tables
    * Under construction in this 2008 image
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