Vivarium Darmstadt

Open minimum 9am-5pm, closed 24th and 31st december

Entrance fee

• Adult 9,50 Euro
• Child 4,50 Euro
• Family* 22,- Euro

• Adult  30,- Euro
• Child (without parent) 7,50 Euro
• each aditional adult 25,- Euro
• each aditional child 6,- Euro

• 21st july 1956:A Vivarium opens for schools as a temporary facility in an old greenhouse nursery in the city Orangery Garden. The complex consists of 10 terrariums and as many aquariums as well as some small enclosures and aviaries.
• 1961: Founding of the Society "Kaupiana".
• 1965: Opening of the vivarium at Schnampelweg. The first already standing buildings are the aquarium and terrarium house and the Small Mammal House. The objective of the vivarium is formulated: Education - Leisure - Recreation.
• 1966: Construction of a cattle house for Watusi cattle and pygmy zebus, and the Yak-enclosure. Construction of the Owls department.
• 1967:  Construction of the zebra enclosure (todays Celebes crested macaque enclosure)
• 1968: Construction of the enclosure for onager (todays binturong and clawed otters house) and a small office building.
• 1969: Construction of a quarantine station.
• 1970: Construction of the house for storks and cranes (today wader enclosure)
• 1971: construction of a small carnivore house for lynx, wild cats and lesser pandas.
• 1972: Construction of a new restaurant Ristorante vivarium. Establishment of a Department of poisonous snakes and poisonous lizards in the aquarium and terrarium house
• 1973: Construction of a enclosure for dromedaries and eland, as well as an exhibit for Maras and an enclosure tract for white-tailed gnu and Barbary sheep (the Terrace Mountain). Construction of kiosks with cash management (now Café Owls pick).
• 1974: Opening of the ratite department with ostrich, emu, both species of rhea and two species of cassowary. (Todays medow for storks and guanaco enclosure). Completion and commissioning of a small staff building.
• 1975: Opening of Africa house for primates and crocodiles (today's tropical house).
• 1976:  Completion of the Banteng enclosure (today's petting zoo) and the Bison enclosure (today's expansion site for the Tapir-/capybara-enclosure). Construction and completion of the fennec enclosure. Establishment of a reptile quarantine.
• 1977: completion of the enclosure for Blue wildebeest (todays yak enclosure) and the deer enclosure for Vietnam Sika (todays squirrel monkeys enclosure). Completion of the house for giant tortoises and the Vasa Parrots aviary. Opening of the new enclosure tract (short tour, including Hirschberg (deer mountain)).
• 1978: Construction of the Tapir enclosure. Opening of the new aviary for parrots, toucans, Arassaris and tree chickens. Construction of the pergola with Mediterranean plants (now part of the flamingo enclosure).
• 1980:  Opening the vulture aviary
• 1981: new aviaries for eagle owls, snowy owls and ravens and the new Dromedary enclosure
• 1982:  Opening of Zebra enclosure and the new flamingo lawn. First release of eagle owls bred in the vivarium at the "Action to reintroduce the eagle owl", as well as first-time reintroduction of "vivarium" barn owls in the district Rhine Main Area. 
• 1983: Lesser vasa parrots (Coracopsis nigra) first time bred internationally at a zoo
• 1985: Chinese crocodile lizard (Shinisaurus crocodilurus) first time bred in captivity
• 1986: reconstruction of a part of the mountain terrace in to the petting zoo.
• 1991: Opening of the education department as "Dr. Heinz Ackermann house for animal protection and environmental education. "
• 1999: Opening of the enclosure for Celebes crested macaque and the converted wader aviary (former bird house).
• 2000: New venomous snake terrariums.
• 2001: Demolition of the Terrace Mountain and Construction of a walk-in enclosure for red-necked Wallabys.
• 2005: Opening of the Binturong house
• 2008: Conversion of the former Wildcats enclosure to the new coati enclosure.
• 2010: Opening of the renovated and significantly expanded facility for the Seychelles giant tortoises.
• 2011: reconstruction of the old monkey house to the tropical house for crocodiles, birds, butterflies and fish. Remodeling of the entrance to a "piazza" with extended catering offer and transfer of the small Owl aviaries. Construction of a small-clawed otter enclosure. Renovation of the Dromedary enclosure and replacement with guanacos and rheas. Renovation and Refurbishment of the former guanaco enclosure and replacement with Sarus crane, barking deer and emus.
• 2012: Tapirs get a new house and enclosure. The vivarium gets a new zoo school and shop
• 2013: A new monkey house for South American primates is built 
• 2014: Samiris move to the new house
• 2016: Petting area with guinepigs open
• 2018: Petting area with Karakul sheep. Flamingos get a new wnclosure
• 2019: Ferrets, vicuñas and silver monkeys move into the zoo vivarium. The Zoo Vivarium has successfully completed the first stage of a three-stage qualification process at the Association of the German Wildlife Protection Association. Opening of the new Africa enclosure (the largest construction project in the history of the Vivarium), which includes the new zebra and antelope enclosure, as well as the flamingo enclosure, which opened in spring 2018. Opening of the renovated beach area.