Rainey Memorial Gates

The Rainey Memorial Gates are a bronze entrance structure at the Bronx Zoo featuring carved animal figures, including a central seated lion. The gates connect to granite gatekeeper lodges by means of decorative bronze screens.

Sculptor Paul Manship designed these gates in 1926, and construction took place in 1934 as a memorial to wildlife conservator Paul James Rainey. The completion coincided with a period when the zoo was establishing itself as a modern recreational destination.

The gates blend Art Deco design with carved animal figures that create a sense of entering a place dedicated to wildlife. This combination of geometric forms and naturalistic sculptures makes the entrance feel both modern and connected to nature.

The gates are located at the Fordham Road entrance of the Bronx Zoo and are visible from outside the grounds. Viewing the bronze work and stone details is easiest during daytime hours when natural light illuminates the carvings.

The gates are named for Paul James Rainey, whose donations brought arctic foxes, musk oxen, and other cold-climate animals to the zoo. His support allowed the institution to build one of the most significant arctic animal programs of its era.