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Philadelphia Zoo

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The Philadelphia Zoo in 2021

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Zoo360

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#PersonnelOnly🐆: Behind-the-scenes at BIG TIME

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Meet Louis!

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Birds And Bears Peacefully Co-exist At Philadelphia Zoo

The Philadelphia Zoo, located in the Centennial District of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the west bank of the Schuylkill River, was the first true zoo in the United States. Chartered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on March 21, 1859, its opening was delayed by the American Civil War until July 1, 1874. The zoo opened with 1,000 animals and an admission price of 25 cents. For a brief time, the zoo also housed animals brought over from safari on behalf of the Smithsonian Institution, which had not yet built the National Zoo.