Franklin Park Zoo

www.zoonewengland.org/franklinvisit


Opened 1913

 

City: Boston

Country: USA

State: Massachusetts
 

Species 220

 

The Franklin Park Zoo is a 72-acre zoo located in Boston, Massachusetts. The zoo is located just four miles from downtown Boston in the northeast portion of Franklin Park, Boston's largest park and the last component of the city's Emerald Necklace. The Farmyard area provides hands-on contact with the more commonly seen farm animals. Kalahari Kingdom, an awesome Lion habitat where you can really see lions up close (through glass of course!). The Butterfly Landing, open seasonally, is filled with hundreds of butterflies. Kids will also like the African Tropical Forest Habitat where they'll see Gorillas at play (a must-see), and don't miss the Australian Outback where you'll come face to face with wonderful Red Kangaroos. 

Last visit 2014


 Franklin Park Zoo
1 Franklin Park Rd
Boston
MA 02121
USA

Phone nr 617-541-5466


Open minimum 10am-4pm, ecxept Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day


Entrance

• Adult 26,95 $
• Child 24,25 $

Zoo New England Membership (includes the Annual entrance to Franklin Park Zoo and Stone Zoo)

• Adult 85 $
• Family* 125 $

*Family Cards are valid for 2 adults and 4 children. Check on line for other membership levels

There are several daily feeding shows, for the time please ask at the till station.

Feel free to take as many pictures as you want. If you publicate the pictures online plese mention the Zoos name


History:

Frederick Law Olmsted, the original landscape designer of Franklin Park, created plans for a future zoological garden. This plan, however, was to be a naturalistic area for native animals, rather than a traditional zoo. The Franklin Park Zoo officially opened to the public on October 4, 1912 (although most sources say 1913). According to plans by Arthur A. Shurtleff, the new zoo represented a major departure from Olmsted's original plans, and included more exotic animals. However, Shurtleff's design for the zoo was modest and was intended to be in harmony with key elements of the plan, such as a half-mile long grassy mall called "the Greeting", which began at Peabody Circle. The zoo was managed by the Boston Parks Department, was free to all, and extremely popular. An estimated two-million people visited the zoo in 1920. Unfortunately, the zoo fell into disrepair starting around the time of the Depression and through World War II. In 1958, the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) took control of the Franklin Park Zoo. The MDC put up fences and gates and started charging admission to the zoo, and areas of the zoo that were difficult to take care of, such as the Bear Dens in Long Crouch Woods, were separated from the zoo property and left to deteriorate. Soon afterward, the zoo received its first professionally trained zoologist to serve as its director, Walter D. Stone. An animal hospital, administrative buildings, and the Children's Zoo (opened in 1962) were also added. In 1970, the Boston Zoological Society assumed some, but not all, management of the zoo, while the state continued to provide funding for the facility. In 1973, a new $24 million master plan, which would "recommend replacing 'the Greeting' with new zoo exhibits", was formulated to revitalize and expand the facility, and included several new domed pavilions, stressing an African theme. Construction began in 1978, but the process was prolonged due to inadequate funding and political complications. On July 1, 1984 after extensive renovations, the 3-acre (1.2 ha) Children's Zoo was reopened; around this time it became the zoo's most popular exhibit. After eleven years of construction at a cost of $26 million, the new African Tropical Forest Pavilion opened on September 9, 1989. The zoo was finally accredited by the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums (AAZPA) in 1990. At the time, it was the only zoo in the nation to be run by a state government (besides the Stone Zoo). After accreditation, the zoo's attendance jumped to 200,000. The number of visitors, however, would continue to fluctuate over the next few years. In 1991, Franklin Park Zoo's management was handed over to the Commonwealth Zoological Corporation (renamed Zoo New England in July 1997). This private, non-profit corporation also took over management of the Stone Zoo, which would reopen in June 1992 after being closed for 18 months due to state budget cuts. In the late 1990s, many new exhibits were built, including Bongo Congo (1997), Outback Trail (1998), and Butterfly Landing (1998). Also at this time, the zoo faced many problems, including multiple budget cuts and dwindling attendance. The facility is funded by state money, and has had a history of staff and financial problems, most notably in 2002 and 2009. Luckily, the zoo has never actually closed during these difficult times. The 2011 film Zookeeper, starring Kevin James, was filmed at the zoo in 2009, and was screened at the zoo on June 28, 2011 as a charity event.