Universal City Zoo, California

Nature & parks
In Universal City, California
3.5 mi from Route 66

The Universal City Zoo, a privately owned animal collection, stood in Universal City, CA, about 4.3 miles off the old road. From 1913 to 1930 it supplied animals for Universal Pictures' silent films and drew tourists visiting the studio town. It closed when movies moved to synchronized sound. Nothing of the zoo remains to visit, but its story is a quirky piece of early Hollywood history.

What is Universal City Zoo?

The zoo existed to serve the movies. Its animals appeared in Universal's animal comedies, circus pictures and silent adventure films, and the studio also leased them out to other film companies. At the same time, it gave tourists something to see when they came to Universal City.

History of Universal City Zoo

The collection ran from 1913 until 1930. Once films began to use synchronized sound, the old methods of working with trained animals on set became much harder, and the zoo was shut down. Its rise and fall track the change from silent pictures to talkies, the same years in which Route 66 was first laid out across the country.

Visiting Universal City Zoo: tips

There is no zoo to see today; the site is now part of Universal City. Movie fans can continue to the Warner Bros. Museum, about 0.8 miles away. The Martial Arts History Museum is about 2.3 miles off, and the Hollywood Heritage Museum about 2.4 miles.

Practical info

Address: 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608
Phone: +1 800-864-8377
Website: universalstudioshollywood.com
Hours: Closed permanently
On site & nearby

Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated. Suggest a fix

Where to eat near Universal City Zoo

All diners →

Diner & restaurant
Musso & Frank Grill
Los Angeles, CA · 2.8 mi from Universal City Zoo
Hollywood's oldest restaurant, operating on Hollywood Boulevard since 1919 and named for its two founders.
Diner & restaurant
Carney's
West Hollywood, CA · 3.4 mi from Universal City Zoo
Hot dogs and burgers served from yellow Union Pacific rail cars above the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood.
Diner & restaurant
Formosa Cafe
West Hollywood, CA · 3.5 mi from Universal City Zoo
A West Hollywood restaurant and bar from 1925, long a hangout for film stars from the studio lot nearby.