Brandywine Zoo - Official Website
Brandywine Zoo
1001 North Park Drive
Brandywine Park
Wilmington, Delaware 19802
The Brandywine Zoo is located in beautiful Brandywine Park in Wilmington, Delaware. The Zoo grounds cover 13 landscaped acres on high ground above the Brandywine River. The Zoo hosts 150 animals, from tigers to snakes, and is open all year round.
The Brandywine Zoo is managed by the Division of Parks and Recreation with the support of the Delaware Zoological Society.
The Brandywine Zoo is a member of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) and is one of 214 accredited zoos and aquariums in North America, a distinction that marks its commitment to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for the visitor and a better future for all living things.
In March of 1883, the Delaware State Legislature passed a law forming the Wilmington Board of Park Commissioners. Ten unpaid men were appointed to the Board to plan and build Wilmington parks. Eventually their effort yielded Brandywine, Rockford and Canby parks.
The Commissioners hired Frederick Law Olmstead, the famous landscape architect to find the best places to house these parks. He suggested the City purchase land on both sides of the Brandywine River. Mr. Olmstead planned the park as he planned Central Park in New York City and the Boston Commons in Massachusetts. In 1886, the land was purchased and Mr. Olmstead went to work.
Right across the river from where the current zoo is located, lived an Irishman named Archibald Rowan. He made the first printed cloth in Delaware. On the land where the Zoo now stands, there was a public amphitheater where people would go to hear famous orators of their time. Among them were Daniel Webster, John C. Calhoun and Henry Clay. It is even said that George Washington mustered his troops on the field above the zoo near the Washington Street Bridge during the American Revolution.
In 1904, Dr. James H. Morgan came to the Board of Park Commissioners with the idea of starting a zoo in Wilmington. He was able to donate some animals if the Commission would pay for the shelters and fences. The boundaries of the zoo were much different than they are today. The main area of the zoo was the area of the old bear pit (across from the current Andean Condor exhibit) and the Exotic Animal House, and extended down the river. Ducks and geese, Belgian hares, a sea turtle, and a sea gull were among the original collection.
The residential area behind the zoo was considered Washington Heights and its civic association helped to manage the zoo. In 1905, the organization changed its name to the Wilmington Free Zoological Association, and the Wilmington Zoo was born.
Many different animals came and went from the zoo family. Between the years of 1921-1928, the zoo had donations of eleven elk, three buffalo, two eagles, five monkeys, goats, two black bear, ducks, parrots, two raccoons, one groundhog, and three alligators. In 1928, the old bear pit was filled in and three new bear cages were built. They still stand today in the Main Zoo, next to the Administration Building. During this time, the comfort station (Exotic Animal House) was changed into a monkey house with big wire cages housing mangabees, macaques and squirrel monkeys among others.
The next big change happened in 1950 when the Society decided to build a children's zoo. The children's area was to be built on a storybook theme with aquariums, little houses and a bird sanctuary. R.R. Carpenter raised funds by donating the profits from family night at the Philadelphia Phillies professional baseball game.
The ground was broken in 1952. The Wilmington Lions Club was also a major fund-raiser on the project. There were eleven little buildings, each centering on a different Mother Goose character. All of the exhibits were brightly painted and housed farm animals collected each spring from area farmers willing to donate them. This area was located up in the far section of the zoo where the capybara and otters are now kept. In the first year of the Children's Zoo there were 46,000 visitors. The themed section survived until the late 1970's in its original fashion.
By 1963, the main zoo had fallen into horrible disrepair and was forced to close while the Children's Zoo remained open. 1971 marked the year that New Castle County took over the zoo and hired Hans Rosenberg as "Zoo Supervisor." He added to the zoo collection but kept the Monkey House closed to the public even though animals were still housed there.
In 1979, Tom Skeldon took Hans Rosenberg's place and developed the Delaware Zoological Society. During this time the Administration Building with offices and a kitchen were built. The tiger exhibit was built where an old duck pond had been.
Nancy Falasco, our present Zoo Director was hired in 1981. A new master plan was conceived and put into action. The old Children's Zoo facades were torn down and new exhibits were developed. The zoo earned accreditation from the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA). A North and South American and Temperate Asian theme was adopted for the collection. Capital improvements continued with the construction of the river otter exhibit, new animal hospital and expansion of the tiger exhibit. Improvements continued to be made.
In October of 1998, the zoo opened its largest exhibit for the Andean Condors. In 2001, the Zoo expanded further with the addition of the new entranceway, offices and retail center. New restrooms and a food preparation center were installed near the main entrance in 2004. In 2005, an improved and expanded exhibit for the Siberian Tigers was built with the help of generous members and sponsors.
Today, the Brandywine Zoo covers almost 13 acres of land and houses 150 animals. The Brandywine Zoo is managed by the Delaware Division of Parks and Recreation with the support of the Delaware Zoological Society. The Brandywine Zoo continues to be a fully-accredited member of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, a distinction that marks its commitment to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for the visitor and a better future for all living things. The zoo had 78,000 visitors in 2004.
In 2005, the Brandywine Zoo marked its 100th anniversary with special events. Click here to read more about the Centennial Celebration.
The Brandywine Zoo staff consists of the Zoo Director, five full-time animal keepers, including a General Curator and Assistant General Curator of Animals, several part-time keepers, an Education Curator, an Assistant Curator of Education, two Traveling Zoo Naturalists, seasonal Zoo Interpreters, Retail Manager, gift shop and gate staff, Zoo Secretary and a Business Assistant. The Zoo also runs with the help of volunteers and docents. Forty five volunteers presently serve the Brandywine Zoo.
Contact Information
Brandywine Zoo
1001 North Park Drive
Brandywine Park
Wilmington, Delaware 19802
Phone: (302) 571-7747
Accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums
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