The Oklahoma City Zoo welcomes you to its unique zoo history museum, The Patricia and Byron J. Gambulos ZooZeum.
The ZooZeum is housed in a restored stone building, originally a bathhouse located along Northeast Lake. Built for the Oklahoma City Parks Department in 1935 by the Works Progress Administration. The building has two long wings, once used for shower stalls, and a central tower. Since then, it has served the zoo in other capacities, including a train barn and storage.
In 2011, the 76-year-old building was opened to house the zoo’s historical archive and two museum galleries. The purpose of the ZooZeum is for visitors to discover the zoo’s history and reconnect with their own zoo memories.
While in the Main Gallery, you will learn how the zoo began in 1902, learn about favorite animals, such as Judy the Elephant, and get a glimpse of popular exhibits and events from the past and present. This gallery also features ever-changing displays, so visit often.
The Train Gallery includes the story of the building itself, as well as a model of a zoo train engine. Trinket cases feature smaller collections of memorabilia that visitors might remember from their zoo visits.
The Oklahoma community and out-of-state visitors have enjoyed the zoo’s beautiful gardens and animal exhibits since 1902. Young or old, the ZooZeum is a place to relive your favorite zoo memories.