Warsaw Zoo

Warsaw Zoo (Miejski Ogrod Zoologiczny) is the city's municipal zoo on the Praga side of the Vistula, home to thousands of animals across many species, and one of the few zoos in the world with a Holocaust rescue story attached to it. People come for the animals and the riverside grounds, but many also come for the history: this is where wartime director Jan Zabinski and his wife Antonina hid and saved around 300 Jews during the German occupation. It works well as a half-day outing, especially if you are travelling with children or want to pair a family visit with a piece of Warsaw's wartime past.

The zoo opened on 11 March 1928 and today keeps thousands of animals representing many species, from big cats and primates to birds and reptiles, spread across grounds that run close to the Vistula. Because it sits on flat, open land in Praga, it is an easy place to walk with a pushchair or with children who need room to move. Exhibits and animal collections change over time, so for current species, feeding times and any closed enclosures it is best to check the zoo's official channels before you go.

The zoo's best-known chapter belongs to Jan Zabinski, its wartime director, and his wife Antonina. During the German occupation the couple used the zoo grounds to hide and save around 300 Jews, moving people through animal enclosures and the villa where the family lived. For this they were later recognised as Righteous Among the Nations. Their story reached a wide audience through Diane Ackerman's 2007 book 'The Zookeeper's Wife' and the 2017 film of the same name, and knowing it changes how the ordinary-looking grounds feel as you walk them.

The zookeeper's villa where the Zabinski family lived has been preserved and can be visited on the zoo grounds. Standing in the house that sheltered people escaping the ghetto is a very different experience from the rest of the day, and it is the main reason history-minded travellers make the trip rather than treating this purely as a family zoo. Opening arrangements for the villa can differ from the zoo's general hours, so confirm access and any separate tickets through the official channels when you plan your visit.

The zoo is on the Praga side of the river, the east bank, which is worth knowing if you are basing yourself around the Old Town or centre on the west bank. It pairs naturally with time spent exploring Praga's own character, and it suits families who want a break from museums and monuments. For ideas on combining it with other sights across the river, see our Warsaw guide.