The perfect day out for the kids! The zoo boasts more than 5,000 rare and exotic animals and birds - make sure you don't miss the monkey and cats houses and the fantastic aquariums. In Moscow zoo different excursions for visitors of any age are carried out: Fauna of Russia, Tour of "Exotarium" – the inhabitants of coral reefs, Tour of exposition "Primate house", and of course the Children Zoo - here the youngest visitors for the first time will get acquainted with hens, pigs, sheep and other domestic animals.
The Children's zoo was constructed in 1996 and it was solemnly opened on October 25, 1996, in the presence of the City Mayor Mr. Luzhkov. For the first time in the history of our capital the youngest visitors received their own special area of the zoo territory. They can see there the heroes of their favourite fairy tales: three piglets, the wolf and seven yeanlings, and many other animals well known to all the children. Furthermore, children can touch and stroke charming Cameroun goats; in "farming" zone they can see domestic animals unusual for the city dwellers: goats, sheep, donkey, geese, hens – and even observe the process of chicken hatching in an incubator. In the child's zoo the scene for performances and presentations is situated. You can find here some sculptures of the heroes of the children books. On school holidays the theater-studio "Tik-Tak" often makes performances here.
Moscow Zoo has come a long way from its beginnings as a small zoological garden to the large scientific, educational and conservation institution that it is today.
The zoo was founded in 1864 on the original 17th century territory of the village of Voskresenkoye near the Presnya River. The nearby Presnya ponds were famous for their pure water, and in the 18th century a large fish farm was set up here.
In 1864 the All-Russian Imperial Society for the Acclimatization of Plants and Animals founded a zoological garden around the ponds and opened it to visitors on 13th February 1864. Anatoly P. Bogdanov, a Professor at Moscow State University, was one of the organizational forces behind the founding of the zoo and called it a "a living museum outdoors", all the more extraordinary for the difficulties they encountered due to Moscow's severe northern climate.
This zoo in the center of town is divided into two parts connected by a whimsical footbridge. The dolphinarium is packed in summer, and the petting zoo is a scramble of groping hands on weekends. Try a Tuesday or Wednesday morning for leaner crowds.
Hours:
Tues-Sun 10am-8pm May-Oct; 10am-5pm Nov-April
Address:
1 Bolshaya Gruzinskaya
Transportation:
Metro: Barrikadnaya or Krasnopresnenskaya
Phone:
095/255-5375
Prices:
Admission adults $3.50, children under 18 accompanied by adult are free
