Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
REGENT'S CANAL
LONDON ZOO
Outer Circle, Regent's Park Camden Town 0844 225 1826,
www.zsl.org/zsl-london-zoo
.
Daily:
March-Oct 10am-6pm; Nov-Feb 10am-4pm.£22.
MAP
The northeastern corner of Regent's Park, is occupied by London Zoo. Founded in 1826
with the remnants of the royal menagerie, the enclosures here are as humane as any inner-
city zoo could make them, and kids usually enjoy themselves. In particular they love
Anim-
al Adventure
, the children's zoo (and playground) where they can actually handle the anim-
als, and the regular “Animals in Action” live shows. The invertebrate house, now known as
BUGS
, the
Gorilla Kingdom
, the
African Bird Safari
and the walk-through rainforest and
monkey enclosure are also guaranteed winners. The zoo boasts some striking architectural
features, too, such as the 1930s modernist, spiral-ramped concrete former
penguin pool
(where Penguin Books' original colophon was sketched), designed by the Tecton partner-
ship, led by Berthold Lubetkin, who also made the zoo's Round House. The
Giraffe House
,
by contrast, was designed in Neoclassical style by Decimus Burton, who was also respons-
ible for the mock-Tudor Clock Tower. Other landmark features are the mountainous
Map-
pin Terraces
, from just before World War I, and the colossal tetrahedral aluminium-framed
tent of Lord Snowdon's modern
aviary
.
