Bedapest Zoo Celebrates 160th Anniversary

This Sunday marks the 160th anniversary of the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden first opening its gates to the public on August 9, 1866. To celebrate the anniversary, a variety of public programs and activities will await visitors to the City Park institution on both days of the weekend.

Several programs will run continuously from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for those interested. One such event will be a demonstration of how the zoo’s animals are fed: the central feed kitchen will set up among the visitors, so anyone can see what is being prepared for the animals. Visitors can also get a glimpse into the work of the staff at the zoo’s Wildlife Rescue Center and see what tools and machinery the zoo’s gardeners use to care for the garden’s diverse plant life.

They will display the crates used for transporting animals. Next to the gray cattle enclosure, visitors can learn the behind-the-scenes secrets of caring for domestic and farm animals; there will even be a quiz on this topic with small gifts for participants.

There will also be a trip down memory lane featuring folk music, a traveling library, a photo theater, mimes, and stilt walkers. Additionally, there will be gardening activities with fairy-tale characters, face painting, glitter painting, and creative arts and crafts. At the Teddy Bear Hospital, children can learn about the most important organs and interesting facts about the human body in a playful way with the help of volunteer medical students.

A walk through the zoo’s history will showcase the most significant sites and surviving landmarks from the garden’s 160-year history.

On Sunday morning at 9 a.m., the gates will open to commemorate the opening 160 years ago, followed by a festive greeting at 10 a.m. in Main Gate Square, where a birthday cake will be cut.