John Ball Zoo sits on 140 acres on the west side of Grand Rapids, Michigan, tracing its roots back to 1884 when pioneer and former mayor John Ball donated 40 acres of parkland to the city. Animals first appeared on the grounds in the early 1890s, starting with a small menagerie of owls, hawks, and other local wildlife before growing into the full zoological garden that stands today.
The zoo nearly disappeared during the Great Depression, when the city could no longer afford to feed its animals and the collection was largely given away. It was revived in 1949 after Grand Rapids resident Katherine Whinery pushed to form a Zoo Society, setting the zoo on a path toward accreditation, expansion, and record-breaking attendance in recent years.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Opened: 1891 (menagerie); revitalized 1949
- Size: 140 acres
- Species: Over 200 species
- Animal count: 2,000+ individual animals
- Annual visitors: About 800,000 (2024, a record year)
- Famous for: First AZA-accredited zoo in Michigan
What to See at John Ball Zoo
The zoo’s collection spans mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates, including tigers, chimpanzees, and grizzly bears. Highlights include the Mokomboso Valley Chimpanzee Exhibit, which opened in 2001, and the BISSELL Lions of Lake Manyara habitat, added in 2008. The Living Shores Aquarium introduced marine life to the park in the 1990s, and an inclined railway funicular, opened in 2012, carries visitors up the zoo’s hillside terrain with views of the Grand Rapids skyline.
A Community-Rebuilt Zoo
Unlike many zoos built in a single era, John Ball Zoo’s identity was shaped by its near-collapse and recovery. After losing most of its animals during the Depression, the zoo rebuilt gradually under the Zoo Society formed in 1949. In 2014, it became an independent nonprofit separate from Kent County government oversight, and it now runs a Wildlife Conservation Fund that has supported animal conservation projects in roughly 30 countries.
Explore more: Explore more zoos and aquariums.
John Ball Zoo FAQs
How big is John Ball Zoo?
John Ball Zoo covers about 140 acres on the west side of Grand Rapids, Michigan, though the original donated parkland was 40 acres.
How many animals live at John Ball Zoo?
The zoo is home to more than 2,000 individual animals representing over 200 species, including tigers, chimpanzees, and grizzly bears.
When did John Ball Zoo open?
Animals were first kept on the donated parkland in the early 1890s, but the zoo as it’s known today took shape after a 1949 revival led by the Grand Rapids Zoo Society.
Get More from John Ball Zoo
Log the coasters, stadiums, and venues you’ve experienced, rate John Ball Zoo, and see what your friends thought. Get the ThrillZing app.
Photo: WMrapids / CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.