Here are the highlights of Philadelphia Zoo’s 150th Sesquicentennial:
Sesquicentennial Weekend
The Zoo’s 150th anniversary started with Sesquicentennial Weekend March 21 and 22, 2009.
The weekend began with a special program led off by the US 3rd Colored Troop color guard. CEO Vik Dewan, Mayor Michael Nutter and many other elected officials addressed the audience, accompanied by songs from the Keystone Boychoir. Throughout the day, entertainment from Beck’s Brass Band, costumed storytellers and old-fashioned bicycles kept everyone in a Victorian mood.
Nearly 20,000 guests were treated to a Victorian Festival featuring storytellers in Victorian garb and entertainment from the Victorian Era including puppet shows, barbershop quartets, brass bands and more.
Our friends the Philadelphia Phillies brought the 2008 World Series Trophy to bring the party back to the present! Guests were lined up to see a new kind of history.
One of the highlights was a Birthday Cake Competition. Guests had a chance to eat the cakes cake and bring our animals presents. We tried to capture the excitement in photographs.
Click here to see them.
Sesquicentennial History Exhibit
The Zoo’s History Exhibit opened on Sesquicentennial Saturday, allowing guests to discover the history behind America’s first Zoo. Visitors can learn about the important people and programs of the past 150 years that have help to distinguish our zoo, your zoo, as one of America’s best zoos.
An interactive part of the exhibit, the Zoovenir Wall, is a place to show how everyone’s history connects with the Zoo’s. Visitors can add personal photos of their family at the Zoo to the wall. Bring yours on your next visit!
Pictures can not be returned, so please don’t give us your last copy! If you need to have it scanned or already have it in an electronic format, email spiro.karen@phillyzoo.org.
The exhibit, located in the
Rare Animal Conservation Center, will remain on display through March 2010.
The Solitude: A Celebration 225 Years in the Making
A fundraiser for the restoration of The Solitude, the home of John Penn, grandson of Philadelphia’s founder, William Penn.
Philadelphia Zoo’s Newest Attraction!
On May 30, the Zoo’s new $17.5 million
McNeil Avian Center opened to great reviews. The beautiful renovation of our 1916 birdhouse (see below) is an engaging blend of old and new, which ties in perfectly with our historic celebration.
Gifts of Gratitude:
As you age, in some world cultures, you give presents on your birthday rather than receive them. To celebrate that tradition, the Zoo created a program called Gifts of Gratitude. The goal of the program is to celebrate our anniversary with some of our most important stakeholders: our members and our community.
- 150 educational experiences for students in Camden, Chester-Upland and Philadelphia schools
- Day at the Zoo for 60 community organizations
- 150 family memberships for 15 Community organizations
- 15 grants of $1,500 for local projects based on conservation and sustainability
- 150 Zoo-on-Wheels visits to community events and schools
- Commemorative poster designed by a student from the Academy of the Fine Arts for our members