Artis Royal Zoo
On Gingerguide's self-guided Amsterdam audio tour, Artis Royal Zoo is a stop worth about ~120 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type park
- Suggested visit ~120 min
- Amsterdam Amsterdam guide
About Artis Royal Zoo
The oldest zoo in the Netherlands, founded in 1838, Artis is both a world-class zoological garden and a historic park, with beautiful 19th-century architecture and extraordinary biodiversity.
Artis Royal Zoo (Artis Koninklijk Zoölogisch Genootschap) is the oldest zoo in the Netherlands and one of the oldest in the world. Founded in 1838 by the Royal Zoological Society of Amsterdam (whose name, Natura Artis Magistra, "Nature is the Teacher of Art", gave the zoo its name), it was established at a time when zoological gardens served both scientific and educational functions alongside public entertainment. The zoo covers 14 hectares in the Plantage neighbourhood east of the city centre and contains over 700 animal species. Beyond its zoological collections, Artis is notable for its stunning nineteenth-century architecture, neoclassical and eclectic buildings housing aquariums, bird houses, insectariums, and the famous Planetarium. The grounds are beautifully landscaped with mature trees and gardens. Artis also contains a geological museum, a natural history museum, and one of the oldest working planetariums in the Netherlands. It remains one of Amsterdam's most family-friendly and historically interesting destinations.
Did you know? Artis was founded in 1838, before Darwin published On the Origin of Species, and was from the beginning a scientific institution as much as a public attraction.
How much time do you need at Artis Royal Zoo?
Around ~120 min works well for Artis Royal Zoo — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at Artis Royal Zoo?
Yes — Artis Royal Zoo made the cut as one of 42 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Amsterdam. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in Amsterdam
Hear the story of Artis Royal Zoo
Preview the Amsterdam tour free in the Gingerguide app.