Lincoln Park Zoo

What is Lincoln Park Zoo?

Its formal name is Lincoln Park Zoological Gardens, and the zoo is a nonprofit set in one of the city's large lakefront parks. Its exhibits cover big cats, bears, penguins, apes, monkeys, reptiles and many other animals, roughly 1,100 animals representing about 200 species.

Because admission is free, it is easy to drop in for an hour rather than committing a whole day, which suits travelers with a tight schedule.

It holds accreditation from the AZA, the national association that sets standards for zoos and aquariums. In 2019 it also earned accreditation as an arboretum, so its trees are recognized alongside its animals.

History of Lincoln Park Zoo

The zoo opened in 1868, just a few years after the Civil War, which puts it among the oldest in the country. For many years it was home to a bur oak estimated to be more than 250 years old. Failing health led to its removal on May 2, 2023. Thirty-six cuttings from it were grafted onto rootstock, and those young trees now grow at the Morton Arboretum, so the old oak lives on in a new form.

Visiting Lincoln Park Zoo: tips

The zoo is free to visit and is listed as wheelchair accessible. Plan on two to three hours to see most of it at an easy pace. The Lincoln Park Conservatory is only about 0.2 mile away, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum about 0.4 mile and the Chicago History Museum about 0.7 mile, so the park can fill a full day. Food is within about 0.1 mile.