Dublin Zoo opened its gates in Phoenix Park on 1 September 1831, a year after the Royal Zoological Society of Dublin was founded at a meeting in the Rotunda Hospital in May 1830. The grounds were laid out by Decimus Burton, the celebrated architect who also shaped London Zoo, and the zoo has operated on the same site ever since.
That history makes it one of the oldest zoos in the world still operating — and today it is also one of Ireland’s most popular attractions, drawing more than a million visitors a year to its 28-hectare (69-acre) home inside Europe’s largest enclosed city park.
Key Stats
| Opened | 1 September 1831 |
| Location | Phoenix Park, Dublin, Ireland |
| Animals | About 400 animals of roughly 100 species |
| Area | 28 hectares (69 acres) |
| Annual visitors | Over 1 million (record 1.3 million) |
From Victorian Menagerie to African Plains
The zoo’s early years were classically Victorian: a picturesque lake, winding paths and a thatched entrance lodge, built in 1833, that still stands near the old gates. Over nearly two centuries the zoo has been transformed from cramped cages into large themed habitats, with the African Plains — home to giraffes, rhinos and other savanna species — occupying a huge share of the modern site.
The Lion That Roared for Hollywood
Dublin Zoo has long been famous for breeding lions, and one cub born here on 20 March 1919 — a male named Slats — went on to global stardom: he was among the lions filmed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for its iconic Leo the Lion logo. The zoo weathered hard times too, including food shortages during the First World War, when keepers struggled to keep the big cats fed.
In recent years the zoo has repeatedly broken its own attendance records, with about 1.3 million people visiting Phoenix Park’s star attraction in a single year.
Explore more: Explore more zoos and aquariums.
Dublin Zoo FAQs
When did Dublin Zoo open?
Dublin Zoo opened on 1 September 1831 in Phoenix Park. It was designed by architect Decimus Burton for the Royal Zoological Society of Dublin, founded the previous year.
How big is Dublin Zoo?
The zoo covers 28 hectares (69 acres) of Phoenix Park, one of the largest enclosed city parks in Europe.
Was the MGM lion really born at Dublin Zoo?
Yes — Slats, a lion born at Dublin Zoo on 20 March 1919, was among the lions filmed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for its Leo the Lion logo.
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Photo: Rory Parle (Rparle at English Wikipedia) / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.