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Why is the ARTIS Royal Zoo a must-visit attraction?

Oldest zoo in the Netherlands

If there’s one place in Amsterdam where history and nature blend seamlessly, it’s ARTIS Royal Zoo. Founded in 1838, it’s the fifth oldest zoo in the world, giving every visit the feeling of stepping into a living piece of history.

A living museum

At ARTIS, you can discover 900 species along leafy paths, past sculptures and century-old trees, making the grounds feel more like a tranquil botanical garden than a conventional zoo.

Immersive exhibits

ARTIS is known for its immersive exhibits that let you connect deeply with nature, blending science and animal behavior for a richer understanding of ecosystems.

Where nature meets science

Few zoos blend education and wonder like ARTIS, where you can sit under a glowing night sky at the historic planetarium or explore Micropia, the world’s first museum devoted to microbes.

All you can see at the ARTIS Royal Zoo

ARTIS Micropia

Step into Micropia and prepare to be amazed by a world you never see: the microbes all around you. You can peek at live bacteria under microscopes, test germs with interactive stations, and even see how microbes live on your own body.

ARTIS Planetarium

Head over to the ARTIS Planetarium and look up, literally! Inside, the shows take you on a journey through space as the dome comes alive with stars, planets, and galaxies, making you feel like you are floating among them.

Elephant House

The Elephant House is a must-visit. Watch these gentle giants roam, splash in water, and interact with their keepers. Time your visit right, and you might catch a feeding session while they’re in their element!

Butterfly Pavilion

Wander into the Butterfly Pavilion and suddenly you are in a tropical paradise. Hundreds of butterflies float around you, landing on flowers or gliding past your shoulders. On a rainy day, this colourful haven is a magical escape you will not forget.

ARTIS Groote Museum

The Groote Museum is a playful dive into nature, humans, and the planet. Located in the oldest part of the zoo, this section is filled with skeletons, dioramas, and hands-on exhibits that make you think about your place in the natural world.

Primate and Animal Houses

Monkey Island, the Gorilla House, and other animal homes are where you see the zoo come alive. Lemurs leap, gorillas lounge, and parrots chatter. It is fun to watch their playful antics and notice all the little behaviors that make primates so fascinating.

Bird Aviary

Step into the Bird Aviary and be immersed in a world of exotic birds from across the globe. Watch them flutter freely among lush, spacious enclosures and show off their vibrant colors.

Gorilla Habitat

The Gorilla Habitat gives you a rare chance to observe western lowland gorillas in a naturalistic setting. You can watch the family group interact, play, and care for each other while moving through indoor and outdoor spaces.

Penguin Enclosure

Visit the Penguin Enclosure and watch the birds waddle, dive, and swim. African penguins are playful and social, making it fun to spot them interacting or catching fish during feeding times.

Big Cats

Check out the Big Cats section where lions, tigers, and other majestic felines roam. You can see them lounging, prowling, or interacting with keepers during feeding sessions.

Reptile House

Don’t forget to stop by the Reptile House to encounter snakes, lizards and other cold-blooded creatures. The exhibits are designed to replicate natural habitats, so you can watch them move, hunt, and rest.

Savanna Animals

The Savanna animals section is home to giraffes, zebras, and ostriches. Naturalistic landscaping let you observe them in a setting that mirrors their African habitat, giving you a safari experience in the heart of Amsterdam.

Highlights at ARTIS Royal Zoo

Asiatic elephants spraying water with trunks in a playful interaction.

Asian elephants

Make your way to the Asian elephant enclosure and watch these gentle giants in action. You’ll see them drinking water with their trunks, splashing around, and moving together as a group, and hopefully, even playing with each other!

Zebra grazing in a zoo enclosure with trees and rocks.
African penguins standing on sandy ground at Georgia Aquarium.
Monarch butterfly with coiled proboscis on leaf, Davis Family Butterfly Vivarium.
Ring-tailed lemur on a branch at Mandai Wildlife Reserves.

Brief history of the ARTIS Royal Zoo

ARTIS Royal Zoo, officially Natura Artis Magistra, was founded in 1838 by a group of natural history enthusiasts in Amsterdam. The aim was to promote knowledge of nature through animals and preserved specimens, with the earliest collection including birds, monkeys, an otter, and a forest cat.

Between 1850 and 1855 the society built its first proper museum building on the original zoo grounds. In the late 19th century ARTIS expanded its land, added new enclosures, opened a public aquarium in 1882, and developed extensive museum collections. Today, ARTIS combines its historic architecture, over 900 animal species, a botanical garden, and a planetarium to serve as a major educational and cultural institution in Amsterdam.

Who built the ARTIS Royal Zoo

Leopard resting on a rock in a natural habitat.

ARTIS was founded in 1838 by Amsterdam citizens G.F. Westerman, J.W.H. Werlemann, and J.J. Wijsmuller under the name Natura Artis Magistra. The first major building, now the Groote Museum, was designed by architect Johannes van Maurik to house the growing natural history collection. The founders worked closely with van Maurik to create a space that was both practical and visually appealing, perfectly suited to the zoo’s mission of education and sharing knowledge about the natural world.

Architecture of the ARTIS Royal Zoo

The historic core of ARTIS Zoo is the Groote Museum, completed in 1855 and designed by Johannes van Maurik as Amsterdam’s first purpose-built museum building. It originally served as a meeting hall for the society and a zoological museum, housing skeletons, shells and other specimens. Since then, the Museum has been restored to preserve original architectural details, reflecting ARTIS’s role as a modern educational zoo.

Over time ARTIS expanded with additional enclosures, garden areas, and a planetarium, blending 19th-century architecture with modern animal welfare standards. Today, the zoo features 27 historic, listed buildings and bridges still used as enclosures and exhibits, creating a unique living museum atmosphere.

Frequently asked questions About ARTIS Zoo

ARTIS Zoo is located at Plantage Kerklaan 38-40 in central Amsterdam, near the city canals.