Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo sits inside historic Beardsley Park in Bridgeport, Connecticut, holding the distinction of being the only Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)-accredited zoo in the entire state. The zoo traces its roots back to 1922, when it opened on parkland that local farmer James W. Beardsley had donated to the city decades earlier, in grounds originally laid out with help from famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted.
Today the zoo is home to roughly 500 animals representing more than 100 species, drawing about 280,000 visitors each year. Its collection emphasizes North and South American wildlife, including participation in Species Survival Plans for endangered animals such as Amur tigers, red wolves, and ocelots, making it a modest but meaningful stop for wildlife lovers in southern New England.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Bridgeport, Connecticut
- Opened: March 16, 1922
- Size: about 52 acres
- Species: over 100 species, about 500 animals
- Annual visitors: about 280,000
- Famous for: only AZA-accredited zoo in Connecticut
The Zoo Experience
Visitors to Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo can explore a Rainforest Building housing tropical South American species, a New England Farmyard with heritage livestock breeds, and one of the state’s few remaining operating carousels. The zoo also maintains a Victorian-era greenhouse, counted among the largest of its kind in Connecticut, reflecting the grounds’ long horticultural history alongside its animal collection.
The zoo’s conservation work includes breeding programs for threatened species like red wolves and Amur tigers, carried out through its AZA Species Survival Plan participation. In 2025, the zoo reopened its renovated Rainforest Building with new residents, including an ocelot and scarlet ibises, continuing a pattern of incremental updates to its exhibits.
History in Beardsley Park
The land beneath the zoo was donated to Bridgeport in 1878 by James W. Beardsley, on condition that the city preserve it as public parkland forever. The city hired Frederick Law Olmsted, designer of New York’s Central Park, to lay out Beardsley Park in the 1880s, and the zoo itself grew out of a 1920 campaign by Parks Commissioner Wesley Hayes before formally opening in 1922.
Ownership shifted over the decades: the city of Bridgeport ran the zoo for most of the 20th century before the nonprofit Connecticut Zoological Society purchased and took over operations in 1997, a change that let the zoo pursue AZA accreditation and modernize its exhibits while remaining within the historic Olmsted-designed park.
Explore more: Explore more zoos and aquariums.
Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo FAQs
Where is Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo located?
It’s located at 1875 Noble Avenue in Bridgeport, Connecticut, inside historic Beardsley Park.
Is Beardsley Zoo the only accredited zoo in Connecticut?
Yes, it’s the only zoo in the state accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
How many animals live at the zoo?
The zoo is home to roughly 500 animals representing more than 100 species, including endangered animals like red wolves and Amur tigers.
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Photo: Sage Ross / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.