Part of The Wildlife Conservation Society. General information, zoo history, map, family program summary and animal photos. Founded in 1895 as the New York Zoological Society, the Wildlife Conservation Society WCS was one of the first conservation organizations in the U.S. The Society began with a clear mandate: Advance wildlife conservation, promote the study of zoology, and create a firstclass zoo. The Bronx Zoo opened its gates to the public on November 8, 1899, joining the ranks of New York City’s most beloved cultural institutions. Its success led WCS to acquire four more wildlife parks over the course of the twentieth century. In 1902, WCS took over management of the New York Aquarium, then in Manhattan’s Battery Park, and in the mid1950s, relocated it to Coney Island, Brooklyn. In 1988, the former menagerie in Manhattan’s Central Park reopened as WCS’s Central Park Zoo. The Queens Zoo and Prospect Park Zoo opened in 1992 and 1993, respectively. Together, the five parks draw more than 4 million visitors a year.

Address: Surf Avenue & West 8th Street, Brooklyn, New York 11224
Telephone: (718) 265-3491
Website: http://www.nyaquarium.com/