Walk with Wildlife in Lincoln Park
North Side
Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood is home to one of the nation's oldest zoos, free and open to all for over 150 years. Generations of Chicago residents and visitors have enjoyed the roar of lions in the middle of the city, even before the 1912 construction of the zoo's now-iconic Lion House.
The Lincoln Park Zoo began with two swans who arrived in 1868, a gift from New York's Central Park. The zoo became a gathering place for Chicagoans to have up-close encounters with species from around the world.
The Lion House, a masonry structure designed by Chicago architect Dwight H. Perkins, was built in 1912. The building's façade featured mosaics and tiling of big cats, welcoming visitors to discover the animals inside. It was designated a Chicago Landmark in 2005. Residents of the Lion House, such as the African lion Nero, were favorites of the community and gained national fame.
In 2019, this historic landmark was temporarily closed to undertake a massive renovation, reopening in summer of 2021 as the Pepper Family Wildlife Center. The new facility boasts a modern lion exhibit incorporated into a beautiful restoration of the building's original architectural details. This new home for the zoo's big cats is an example of Lincoln Park Zoo's continued efforts to care for animals and educate the community on animal conservation.
