The Secret History of London Zoo: an Immersive Historical Tour

Join Dr Matthew Green for an immersive historical journey through two hundred years of London Zoo, beginning with a mesmerising evocation of Victorian London from Primrose Hill and proceeding into ‘the Ark in the Park’ itself, hearing the remarkable story of how the world’s first scientific zoo came about, how it came to embody the British Empire, and, as we wander past their descendants, learn the stories of the Zoo’s most cherished stars including Jumbo the Elephant and Obaysch the hippopotamus.

• Ticket includes cost of admission to the Zoo, although you can purchase yours on the day if you prefer.

Founded in 1826 as the world’s first scientific zoo, discover why this extraordinary institution was created — not simply to entertain, but to transform humanity’s understanding of the animal kingdom.

Learn how it became both a showcase of Britain’s expanding empire and one of Victorian London’s greatest attractions, where millions flocked to marvel at creatures they had previously encountered only in travellers’ tales and illustrated books.

Meet the Zoo’s unforgettable celebrities, from Obaysch the coquettish hippopotamus, whose arrival from the White Nile caused a national sensation, to Jumbo, the biggest and certainly the most tempestuous elephant the country had ever seen, whose controversial departure for America prompted public outrage, and which ended in horror and tragedy.

Discover how Charles Darwin drew inspiration here as he grappled with the theory of evolution; how bombs, escaped beasts and changing ideas about animal welfare transformed the Zoo beyond recognition in the 20th century; and why one gentle black bear inspired one of the most beloved children’s characters ever created.

And find out why all the venomous snakes had to be killed during the Blitz.

Along the way, magnificent Victorian architecture and pioneering modernist design — at the Penguin Pool, for example — provide the setting for a story that is by turns surreal, comic, moving and uplifting — a tale not merely of exotic animals, but of the frontiers of scientific discovery, the global reach of empire, the rise of celebrity, transformation of attitudes and London’s ever-changing relationship with the natural world.