Lincoln Park Zoo

Founded in 1868, Lincoln Park Zoo was one of Chicago’s first major cultural institutions, and one of the first zoos in the United States. 

Lincoln Park Zoo’s archival collection is comprised of a wide range of materials, including glass plate negatives dating from the 1920s, photographs and postcards that span more than 100 years, reels of motion picture film from the 1960s through the 1980s, architectural plans of landmark buildings, animal records, ledgers, correspondence, and official documents of the Chicago park system. Among the dozens of significant zoo events and residents featured are images of the historic Lion House, the groundbreaking of the original Primate House, and photos of Bushman, Otto and other famous zoo animals from the past. Together, these artifacts paint a fascinating and uniquely comprehensive picture of Lincoln Park, its zoo, and the generations of Chicagoans who designed, managed, and visited this historic institution.