Houston Zoo, Educational zoological park in Hermann Park, Houston, United States
Houston Zoo is a 55-acre zoological park in Hermann Park, Houston, Texas, opened in 1922. Its layout follows a 1923 Hare & Hare plan: an oval divided at the north end by reflection pools, with the entrance facing the park. The main gate has a round red-brick tower with a conical grey metal roof and a flat canopy bearing green, blue and pink letters spelling "ZOO" above an "ENTRANCE" sign.
The park opened its gates in 1922 as a municipal project and grew over the decades from a small collection to a large facility. In 2002, management shifted to a nonprofit organization, which allowed new design possibilities for the enclosures.
The name Houston Zoo follows the American tradition of naming animal parks after their city, and the enclosures show animals in landscapes that resemble their natural habitats. Families often visit on weekends, and school groups come regularly to learn about animals from different continents.
The entrance sits at the edge of Hermann Park, and visitors can explore the grounds on foot or take short breaks on benches along the paths. Most enclosures are accessible at ground level, and restrooms and refreshment stands are distributed throughout the site.
The zoo's first incarnation opened in 1901 in downtown Sam Houston Park and closed abruptly in 1906, when the park commissioner sold the whole collection and shipped the animals off before telling the public. For fifteen years Houston had no public zoo until a bison named Earl arrived in Hermann Park in March 1921.
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