Tour of the zoo. Moscow Zoo launches free evening walks with the director

The Moscow Zoological Garden is one of the oldest zoos in Europe. Its collection includes more than 1000 species of various animals.

Moscow Center for Cultural Life

The official opening date is February 13, 1864, which was previously called the Zoological Garden. It was opened thanks to the All-Russian Society for the Acclimatization of Plants and Animals on the site of a city park.

The zoo became the center of cultural life in Moscow and was a unique place throughout Russia, due to the difficult climatic conditions in the central part of the country. The zoo immediately became a popular place to visit.

In the first years, the number of visitors exceeded 10,000 people, which provided funding for the zoo. However, over time this was not enough for repairs, construction and the acquisition of new animals. Huge debts arose, as a result of which the zoo became owned by the private Ryabinin family. This almost led to the complete ruin of the zoo, and in 1878 it was again returned to society.

Thematic areas of the zoo

Upon entering the zoo, visitors see the Great Pond. Most of the waterfowl are found here. Along the pond there are small artificial islands with small bird shelters.

Next to the Big Pond is the “Cats of the Tropics” pavilion, where you can see tigers, jaguars and other representatives of the cat family.

It is also worth paying attention to the enclosure with bears.

The zoo has a dolphinarium where you can watch shows of whales and dolphins. While on the territory of the zoo, you can see a total of more than 8,000 different individuals. The park is divided into several thematic zones, each with specific species and families of animals. It’s easier to go and see it all than to describe it for a long time.

Difficult times in the history of the zoo

There were sad moments in the history of the zoo. In 1905, as a result of revolutionary battles, the zoo was seriously damaged and many animals died.

In 1919 the zoo was transferred to the hands of state authorities. Since then, funding has been increased, its territory has expanded and many new inhabitants have appeared.

During the Second World War, the zoo continued its activities. During the war, about six million people visited it.

Reconstruction of park areas

At the end of 1960, the zoo was annexed to the Main Directorate of Culture, and its territory continued to expand. Gradually, new species of individuals were purchased, and the park zones began to be divided into thematic ones. The zoo has been reconstructed more than once. The Moscow Zoo is becoming one of the largest scientific and educational institutions in Moscow and a favorite vacation spot for Muscovites and guests of the capital.

The zoo is located next to the Garden Ring on Bolshaya Gruzinskaya Street. Open every day except Monday.

Entrance to the Moscow Zoo with a Troika card is possible.

The Moscow Zoo is the first zoo in Russia, opened in 1864. Its creation was initiated by the Imperial Russian Society for the Acclimatization of Animals and Plants, and the zoo was largely maintained by donations from the imperial family. The Moscow Zoo was built according to the design of the architect Campioni, but most of the pavilions arose later. The work of the Moscow Zoo consists of species conservation, research and educational activities.

Now it contains about eight thousand individuals belonging to approximately one thousand one hundred species of the world fauna. The animals of the Moscow Zoo are kept in several dozen exhibitions representing a particular region, family, species, etc. For example, in the Australia section you can admire emus and black swans, and then look into the Giraffe House.

The zoo is a member of the World and European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA, EAZA), the Euro-Asian Regional Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EARAZA). He participates in many international programs for the conservation of endangered species, collaborating with environmental organizations around the world. There are special excursions for children, seminars and lectures.

Animals of the Moscow Zoo

The Moscow Zoo is home to about 8,000 representatives of approximately 1,100 species of fauna from all over the world (invertebrates, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals). Animals are kept in several dozen exhibitions, which are thematically divided into habitat regions, families, and species.

The public favorites at the Moscow Zoo are the Pallas' cat. This wild cat was even on the zoo's logo until 2014.

A real treat for visitors is to visit the zoo while feeding predators and large animals. A feeding schedule for jackals, pelicans, seals and other animals is available on the website.

Entrance to the Moscow Zoo

You can enter the zoo through several entrances:

• Main (near the Barrikadnaya metro station).
• Additional: from the side of Sadovo-Kudrinskaya Street, between the Terrarium pavilion and the Moscow Planetarium, this is the entrance to the New Territory (daily from 10:00 to 17:00, except Tuesdays).

Two temporary entrances are used when, for some reason, passage through the main entrance is limited; at other times, they are closed. Their location:

• At Bolshaya Gruzinskaya, 10 there is an entrance to the New Territory;
• At Krasnaya Presnya, 4 (near the Zoo gallery) - to the Old Territory.

Prices at the Moscow Zoo in 2019

A regular ticket for an adult is 500 rubles, after 17:00 – 600 rubles.

The ticket price to the Moscow Zoo does not include (entrance is paid separately):

• Exotarium - 150 rubles;
• Exhibition “The Amazing World of Reptiles” - 250 rubles.

Other additional services: pony riding - 300 rubles, carriage rides - 300 rubles.

Moscow Zoo for free

Benefits at the Moscow Zoo (free entry):

• Children under 17 years old admission;
• Full-time students;
• Conscript soldiers and military cadets. schools;
• For pensioners;
• Disabled people;
• Participants in combat operations;
• Liquidators of the Chernobyl accident;
• Parents with many children.

Discounts at the Moscow Zoo

• Temporary promotions - up to 50% discount (in zoo news and on partner websites);
• Special holiday promotions - free to the Moscow Zoo upon registration (on the official website).

Excursions in the Moscow Zoo

The cost of a tour of the Moscow Zoo (for groups of up to 15 people) is from 2,500 rubles.

Visitors are offered general sightseeing and various thematic walks (in separate pavilions). The most relevant excursions are in the evenings and on weekends. You need to register in advance.

Entrance from Sadovo-Kudrinskaya

Buy a ticket to the Moscow Zoo

There are two main ways to purchase tickets to the Moscow Zoo: at the ticket office at the entrances or online, on the official website.

You can also enter the zoo using the Troika card.

Please note: it is not possible to issue an electronic ticket for the current day, only from the next day from the date of purchase.

Opening hours of the Moscow Zoo

Opening hours of the Moscow Zoo: daily from 7:30 to 22:00.

The Moscow Zoo ticket office at the main entrance and the Children's Zoo ticket office close one hour before the zoo closes.

Moscow Zoo in winter

As on other days of the year, in winter the Moscow Zoo operates daily, including receiving visitors on December 31 and January 1. However, the working hours on holidays may vary; please check before your visit.

How to get to the Moscow Zoo

The oldest zoo in Moscow is located near the Garden Ring, and it is very convenient to get to it by metro, but you can also use ground transport - by bus or trolleybus.

Metro to the Moscow Zoo

The easiest way for city guests to get to the Moscow Zoo is by metro.

At the central entrance to the zoo there are two stations of the Moscow Metro - “Krasnopresnenskaya” (Circle Line) and “Barrikadnaya” (Tagansko-Krasnopresnenskaya Line).

How to get to the Moscow Zoo by ground transport

Stops at the central entrance are “Metro Krasnopresnenskaya” (buses No. M6, T79, 39, 64, 69, 116, 850, 869, trolleybus No. 66) and “Metro Barrikadnaya” (bus No. 116, trolleybus No. 66 ).

The stop in front of the entrance on Sadovo-Kudrinskaya is called “Malaya Nikitskaya Street”, the required bus routes are as follows: B, T10, T39, 869.

Pony Club of the Moscow Zoo

The children's “Pony Club” at the stables of the Moscow Zoo opened in 1996. This is the only sports and theatrical pony club in Russia. Today, 120 children aged 7 to 14 years study here. Over the 15 years of work at the pony club, more than 1,500 young athletes have received free training. Since 2000, athletes of the Moscow pony club regularly become prize-winners of all pony club competitions, holding the title of champions of Russia in all types of equestrian sports, including driving.

Pupils of the Moscow Zoo pony club perform in theatrical performances at the Olimpiysky Sports Palace, at the international exhibitions "Equiros" in Sokolniki, at the international equestrian club "Pradar", at exhibitions "LenExpo", at international Akhal-Teke rallies, at the Central Moscow Hippodrome.

Exotarium of the Moscow Zoo

The Exotarium pavilion of the Moscow Zoo occupies the 2nd and 3rd floors of the Animal Island pavilion, which is located on the New Territory. In the twilight of the Exotarium, brightly lit aquariums appear before your eyes, where the world of a coral reef is recreated. The Exotarium of the Moscow Zoo contains about 100 species of reef fish from the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans.

The large reef aquarium of the Exotarium displays a variety of coelenterates from the Indo-Malayan archipelago. Initially, they were introduced into the aquarium in the form of single small specimens, but today, constantly reproducing, the coelenterates have covered all the decorations of the aquarium. Along with corals and sea anemones, the aquarium contains tridacni and a variety of reef fish, of which the anemone fish and pseudanthias are especially noteworthy.

Open lecture hall

The Moscow Zoo hosts lectures for children and adults.

Twice a month on Thursdays at 19:30 lectures for adults are given by scientists, ecologists and popularizers of science. Admission is free, but advance registration is required. The schedule is updated and can be found on the website.

Children's lectures take place on Saturdays at 12:00 and 14:00. Zoologists, oceanologists, ecologists and other scientists talk about a boundless and amazing world. Most lectures include animal demonstrations and are designed for children aged 6 to 12 years. Cost and schedule of classes.

Ekaterina Vanina
Lesson summary “Excursion to the Zoo”

Program content. Expand children's understanding of the diversity of the animal world, that man is part of nature, and he must preserve, protect and defend it. To form the idea that animals are divided into classes: insects, birds, fish, animals (mammals). Develop cognitive interest, curiosity, emotional responsiveness.

Preliminary work. Conversation about animals; reading fiction about animals; drawing animals.

Material and equipment. Presentation “Animals in the Zoo”, multimedia projector, laptop; badges for children - “crucian carp” and “pike”.

Methodology

The teacher invites the children to go on an excursion to the virtual zoo. Asks the children if they know what a “virtual zoo” is. Explains that a virtual zoo is a zoo that we can visit using a computer. Just like a real zoo, you can see many interesting animals here.

Pavilion No. 1. Terrarium with insects.

A terrarium with insects (grasshoppers, beetles, dragonflies, butterflies, etc.) is shown on the screen.

The teacher asks the children: “What is a terrarium?” Summarizes the children’s answers: “A terrarium is a container where the necessary conditions have been created for keeping insects. Most terrariums are made of glass and a metal base. Sand or earth is poured onto the bottom, stones and moss are placed and plants are planted. You can install driftwood and hang vines. There should be a container of water in the terrarium. It is important to maintain a certain temperature and humidity in it. Lighting and heating are carried out using special equipment.”

He asks: “How are insects different from other animals?” Summarizes the children’s answers: “All insects have a head, chest, abdomen and six legs. Many insects have wings."

Pavilion No. 2. "World of Birds".

The screen shows a pavilion with birds (ducks, geese, pelicans, peacocks, flamingos, storks, parrots, etc.).

The teacher asks the children: “What is a pavilion?” Summarizes the answers: “A pavilion is a covered room where the necessary conditions for keeping birds have been created.”

He asks: “How do birds differ from animals?” Summarizes the children’s answers: “Birds have a body, a head, legs, and wings. On the head there are eyes, ears, and beak. The body is covered with feathers. Birds can fly. Bird chicks hatch from eggs.”

Pavilion No. 3. Aquarium with fish.

An aquarium with fish (shark, pike, crucian carp, catfish, perch and others) is shown on the screen.

The teacher asks the children: “What is an aquarium?” He says: “This is a large container of water, where the natural conditions of streams, rivers, lakes and seas in various parts of the globe have been artificially created. Its glass shores provide an opportunity to see the diversity of this amazing world.”

Invites children to identify the general characteristics of fish: structure - streamlined body covered with scales; head, body, flexible tail and fins; fish live in water; swim; the young hatch from the eggs.

Invites children to play the outdoor game “Crucian Carp and Pike” before heading to the next pavilion. One child is chosen as a pike. The rest of the players are divided into two groups: one group forms a circle - these are pebbles, the other group - crucian carp that swim inside the circle. The pike is behind the circle. At the teacher’s signal, the pike runs into the circle and tries to catch the crucian carp. The crucian carp hide behind the pebbles - they crouch behind one of the players standing in a circle. The pike catches those crucian carp that did not have time to hide and takes them out of the circle. After two or three repetitions, the number of those caught is counted. They choose a new pike. Children standing in a circle and inside it change places. Game continues.

Pavilion No. 4. Aviary with wild animals.

Images of mammals (animals) are shown alternately on the screen: bears, foxes, deer, tigers, lions, etc.

The teacher asks the children: “What is an aviary?” He says: “An aviary is a fenced area with a canopy or an open one with attached cages or houses for keeping animals. The enclosure serves to protect animals from bad weather (rain, snow, wind, high and low air temperatures). At the same time, it should be convenient for a person to work in the enclosure. The design of the enclosure makes it easier to clean and also allows for safe feeding of its inhabitants.”

All mammals have a torso, a head, four legs and a tail. The head contains the eyes, ears, nose and mouth. The body of the animals is covered with fur. The limbs end in paws or hooves. Animals give birth to their young and feed on milk.

Summarize what was said in class: “The natural world is diverse. We must take care of the nature around us. In the future, we will continue to get acquainted with the amazing world of animals!”

In July, residents of the Presnensky district will be able to sign up, and from August, residents of other Moscow districts will also be able to submit applications.

The Moscow Zoo is launching a new format - free evening walks. For the first time, instead of guides, zoo director Svetlana Akulova will tell visitors about animals. For the rest of the year, she will conduct tours on Mondays at 8 p.m. The director will introduce guests to his favorite inhabitants, talk about their habits, as well as how the country's largest zoo works.

Walking with Svetlana Akulova will also allow neighbors - zoology lovers - to get to know each other. Each excursion will be conducted for residents of a specific area of ​​Moscow.

The first walk will take place on Monday, July 10, from 20:00 to 21:00 for citizens from the Presnensky district (where the zoo is located). You can sign up for it now.

To get on the excursion, you only need to present your passport. The entrance ticket to the zoo, as well as the excursion itself, will be free. If a resident of the Presnensky district comes with a companion living in another area, he will also be able to go for a walk.

In August, a page will appear on the zoo’s website where residents of other Moscow districts will be able to submit their applications. Excursions are organized for citizens from those areas where the largest number of applications will come from.

By the end of the year, the director will conduct several dozen walks around the zoo.

“Evening at the zoo is a special time when many animals that prefer to hide during the day become active. Coming to us for a walk is a great way to relax from the hustle and bustle of the working day in a quiet green corner in the very center of the city,” noted Svetlana Akulova.

The director will tell guests about the baby boom in the zoo and show the cubs that were born this year. Participants in evening walks will have the opportunity to watch newly born elephants play, see how a growing elephant feasts on fruit, and see how an adult elephant Pipita teaches how to use her trunk.

Visitors will also be able to meet the symbol of the Moscow Zoo - the unsociable Pallas' cat, which comes out of hiding only in the evening. During the walk, visitors will be guided past pink flamingos. The birds have begun the nesting period, which will last until the end of July. The walk will end at the enclosure of the giraffe Samson, who turns 24 on August 5.

One excursion group will include about 25 people, including children at least six years old.

On July 8, the Moscow Zoo will host. On this day, visitors will be told about the strongest couples in the capital's zoo. Tours will begin at 11:00 near the main entrance to the zoo.

Located in the very center of Moscow, surrounded by noisy streets Moscow Zoo- the oldest zoo in Europe, founded 150 years ago in 1864 by the Imperial Russian Society for the Acclimatization of Animals and Plants in the favorite place of Muscovites on Presnensky Ponds. The first inhabitant of the Zoo was an elephant, which Emperor Alexander II himself gave to the society, calling on everyone to bring animals and birds here. We invite you to visit our excursions to the zoo both for schoolchildren and children, and for adults.

At first it was not a large menagerie, which contained domestic animals, wild animals and birds, and a dozen reptiles. The Russian fauna was best represented, because the creators of the “living open-air museum” wanted to show the audience, first of all, our native nature. But there were also exotic animals on display.
Today on a huge zoo territory, separated by a large pedestrian bridge, there are exhibitions housing more than a thousand different species of animals and birds. You can see all this on zoo program.
« New» territory:
- In the children's zoo, the youngest visitors will be able to see those animals that children learn about from fairy tales and books. Here live real seven kids, a fox and a crane, a wise owl and even the cow Murka with the cat Matroskin
- Pavilion « Terrarium", here you can see reptiles: crocodiles, pythons and boas, turtles, iguanas
- « Primate House" or " Monkeyman" The most visited pavilion of the Moscow Zoo, the undeniable similarities between humans and monkeys always attract spectators, young and old. In total, about 30 species of monkeys live here. You can see animals all year round.
- Stable with horses. One of the oldest pavilions of the zoo, there is always a crowd of people around the enclosures with horses and ponies, and for the youngest visitors of the zoo there is an attraction - a pony riding circuit.
- A corner of the African savannah. Giraffes, various antelopes, zebras and African ostrich coexist well here; a family of meerkats has settled here relatively recently.
- Pavilion « Exotarium" Here, in a dimly lit hall, but in brightly lit aquariums, representatives of coral reefs and more than a hundred species of reef fish and shellfish live. In addition to marine life, in the Exotarium you can see spectacled leaf-noses, leaf-cutter ants and ground bumblebees.
- Only in some zoos in the world, incl. In the Moscow Zoo there are rooms called “ Insectarium» where a collection of insects and other invertebrates is exhibited: spiders, scorpions, scolopendras, snails, numerous beetles, butterflies and crickets.
- On island of animals live Amur tigers, funny noses (raccoons), brown and Himalayan bears, polar wolves and the “king of beasts” - the Asiatic lion.
- Separate apartments in the zoo have different horned and humpbacked animals: deer and camels.
- Pavilion « Fauna of Indonesia" The variety of aquatic and semi-aquatic birds will blow your mind, especially in the warm season. And the pond next to the pavilion called “Swamp” is at the complete disposal of cormorants and pelicans.
- Mountain ungulates, various goats, gallop along the real rock “Turya Gorka”.
- IN exposition « Polar world» inhabited by the inhabitants of the Far North - polar owls and polar bears.

« old» zoo territory inhabited by representatives of the animal world of Australia (Emu), animals of South America (llama, vicuña), representatives of the fauna of Russia, inhabiting a wide variety of landscapes - icy deserts and dry steppes, tundra and taiga, sea coasts and mountain ranges, eagles live on the cliff of birds of prey, included in the “Red” book. The building, built in oriental style, houses the Elephant House. The Asian elephant family has lived at the zoo for almost 30 years, during which time they have had five children. The pearl of the bird collection is rightfully considered to be the cranes and storks that live in the spacious enclosures of the “Bird House” (more than 70 species of birds in total). Relatives of dogs from the canine family are red wolves and arctic foxes. A Steller sea lion, a member of the eared seal family, lives in an enclosure with a small pool. Zoo visitors have a special affinity for the cat family: cheetahs, tigers and jaguars live in the “Cats of the Tropics” pavilion, and lynxes, leopards, and snow leopards live in the “Cat Row” enclosure. The Big Pond is a famous place; it has been preserved since the opening of the Zoo 150 years ago; it contains the bulk of the collection of waterfowl of the Moscow Zoo.
Cost of the program per person:
For reservations and orders, please contact our managers.