Artis Zoo Amsterdam

The Artis Royal Zoo in Amsterdam, in Dutch Koninklijk Zoölogisch Genootschap Natura Artis Magistra (a quotation meaning ‘nature is the master of art’ in Latin), is one of the oldest public facilities in the city. Founded in 1838 by Gerardus Frederik Westerman (1807 – 1890), Johann Wilhelm Heinrich Werlemann (1807 – 1877) and Johannes Wilhelmus Wijsmuller (1806 – 1882), it is one of the first green projects in the Dutch capital.

The Amsterdam Zoo is considered to be one of the best destinations for a nature walk amidst old trees and plants, and to admire animals of the most diverse species without straying too far from the city centre. It houses not only 8200 animals of almost 800 different species, but also 200 varieties of plants and trees, many of them endangered.

Areas of the Amsterdam Zoo

The Artis covers 14 hectares and is divided into various sectors:

• the zoo proper, where you can also find the aquarium, which was opened in 1882, the second largest in Europe after the one in Berlin.
• the planetarium, where it is possible to observe the evolution of planet Earth from the birth of the universe to the present day.
• the zoological museum, which houses some of the most important scientific collections from the early 19th century.
• the botanical garden, which allows visitors to get up close to the plants, trees and flowers that make up the plant kingdom. A section of the botanical garden is dedicated to exotic plants, which are kept in special greenhouses.
• Micropia: A really interesting part of the Amsterdam Zoo, dedicated to the world of microorganisms, which allows you to come into contact with a completely different world than the one we are used to

A visit to the Amsterdam Zoo will allow you to admire with your own eyes species that are unusual in our parts, such as the various tropical fish, but also mammals such as elephants, oryx, zebras and antelopes that walk around undisturbed, or visit the bird house with all the winged species, right up to the butterfly pavilion where you will feel as if you are being embraced by each one.

Tickets for the Amsterdam Zoo

You can buy tickets directly on site or in advance via the Internet, paying by credit card. Reductions are available for children under 10 years of age and you can buy two types of tickets: the basic ticket includes all attractions except Micropia, while the full ticket also gives access to the latter.

Opening hours

Amsterdam Zoo has the following opening hours:

• 1 November to 28 February: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
• 1 March to 31 October: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m
• every Saturday in June, July and August: 9 a.m. until sunset. Evenings at the zoo are very pleasant, with local artists putting on live shows and the restaurant offering a special summer menu with pizza, local beer and much more. In the evenings, as the sun goes down, it is possible to visit the animals up close and observe their evening rituals.

During the zoo’s opening hours, it is also always possible to attend various shows and guided tours, which give you the chance to see how the animals behave up close.

Micropia: opening hours

The Micropia pavilion has the following opening hours:

• Monday to Wednesday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m
• Thursday to Saturday: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m
• Sunday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m

How to get to the Amsterdam Zoo

Amsterdam Zoo is located at Plantage Kerklaan 38-40, and can be easily reached either by car, as there is a large parking area, or by public transport, such as bus, tram and metro.

The nearest metro stop is Waterlooplein; once you get off, you have to walk for about 10 minutes in a westerly direction through the Nieuwe Herengracht and the botanical garden. Alternatively, you can also take this route by bus: trams 9 and 14 stop in front of the Waterlooplein and stop directly at the zoo entrance, as does the 757 bus.