Lincoln Park Zoo Celebrates 150 Years: Event Schedule

CHICAGO, IL — This weekend marks the Lincoln Park Zoo's 150th anniversary. The celebration will be held Sunday, May 20, with the opening of the From Swans to Science exhibition, which follow's the zoo's history from a menagerie to a renowned institution. LPZ President and CEO Kevin Bell said the zoo's history began in 1868, when Central Park in New York gave Lincoln Park four swans.

"Then, for many years, we were a menagerie — a place built for people to stroll grounds and see animals. Around the 1940s, we started down the long road toward modernization, a road we’re still on today," Bell said in a joint statement with the zoo's VP Megan Reinertsen.

"We moved to more naturalistic habitats. We started using preventive veterinary medicine and began applied science programs to improve animal welfare. We launched partnerships to connect people to wildlife in Chicago and around the world."

The zoo will celebrate with a range of free educational and fun activities Sunday. There will also be crafts for kids, face painting, a live band and complimentary "old-timey" photos.

Schedule of Sunday Activities

10:30 a.m. - Exhibition Kickoff (Main Mall Stage) Remarks by Lincoln Park Zoo President and CEO Kevin Bell.

11 a.m. - Meet an Animal (Regenstein Small Mammal-Reptile House) A staff member will share information and answer questions during this up-close encounter with a live animal.

Noon - Meet an Artifact (Regenstein Small Mammal-Reptile House) Come face to face with an exciting piece of history and learn about Lincoln Park Zoo’s past.

1 p.m. - Up-Close with Polar Bears (Walter Family Arctic Tundra) The zoo will reveal how staff care for polar bears and what traits make them top predators in the Arctic.

Searle Visitor Center Chat (Construction site near east entrance of zoo) Learn about the new, state-of-the-art visitor center being built for guests with the zoo's Senior VP of Capital and Program Planning Steve Thompson.

Low Down Brass Band performs (South Lawn area)

1:30 p.m. - Ape Cognition and Care (Regenstein Center for African Apes) Staff use surprising methods to study how great apes think and learn. The zoo will offer a window into the world of science and animal care.

Bat Chat (Regenstein Small Mammal-Reptile House) Learn about the zoo’s bat conservation efforts and why the little brown bat is the “Official Mammal of the City of Chicago”.

2 p.m. - Seal Training and Feeding (Kovler Seal Pool) Training isn’t just for show — it helps the zoo take care of animals. Learn how by watching one of the zoo's daily training sessions with seals.

2:30 p.m. - Meet an Artifact (Regenstein Small Mammal-Reptile House) Come face to face with an exciting piece of history and learn about Lincoln Park Zoo’s past.

Free-Flight Feeding (McCormick Bird House) Enter a lush forest with tropical birds flying overhead as staff offer food to fit every feathered appetite.

Low Down Brass Band performs (Safari Cafe area, north of Regenstein African Journey)

4 p.m. - Meet an Artifact (Regenstein Small Mammal-Reptile House) Come face to face with an exciting piece of history and learn about Lincoln Park Zoo’s past.

Low Down Brass Band performs (South Lawn area)
All Day Long

• Music, fun and dancing on Main Mall (until 5 p.m.)
• Kids’ crafts throughout Main Mall (until 5 p.m.)
• Complimentary swan face painting to celebrate 150 years of Lincoln Park Zoo (until 5 p.m.) (east/west of Kovler Lion House and near North Gate by rhino outdoor yard)
• Complimentary “old-timey” photos at Flamingo Overlook (11:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.)

*Activities subject to change pending weather and animal behaviors.

For more information, visit the zoo's event page.

Image, schedule courtesy of Lincoln Park Zoo.