This Popular Illinois Zoo Is The Oldest Free Zoo In America

My child brought home the 2025 World Record book from her school book fair.  She probably bought that one cause it had Taylor Swift on the cover.  But now that she is actually reading through all the facts in there she is very interested in the World and American records.  Especially when they are close to home.

One of the records was one I didn't know either.  An Illinois Zoo is the oldest free zoo in America.

How Many Zoos In Illinois?

Being the oldest free zoo also got me thinking about zoos in America.  Did you know there are 357 accredited zoos in America?  With that many, you'd figure there would be a lot in Illinois.

But actually, there are only 10 listed in Illinois.  Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, Cosley Zoo, Henson Robinson Zoo, Indian Boundary Park, Miller Park Zoo, Niabi Zoo, Peoria Zoo, Phillips Park Zoo, Scovill Zoo, and the oldest free zoo in America...

Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago

Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago is the oldest free public zoo in America.  The zoo opened in 1868, nine years after the Philadelphia Zoo which is the country's oldest overall.  Lincoln Park Zoo does not charge admission fees with more than two-thirds of the money for the zoo coming from food, retail, parking, and fundraisers according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

The zoo continues to grow even as a free zoo.  In October 2021 it opened a new savanna-style habitat for a pride of African lions.

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Lincoln Park Zoo is located at 2204 N. Cannon Drive along the shore of Lake Michigan.  It has a total of 1,100 animals and obviously being 156 years old a ton of history that you can read about or just experience firsthand.  Cause you know, it's free so you should definitely discover or rediscover the oldest free zoo in the United States, Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago Illinois.