Plantage Kerklaan 38-40
1018 CZ Amsterdam
Artis P.O. Box 20164, 1000 HD Amsterdam
Tel: 020 5233400
Tram Info
Take trams 9 and 14 to Plantage Middenlaan.
The Artis zoo is not only the oldest zoo in the whole of Amsterdam, But by many accounts of its visitors it is also the most spectacular.
With so much to see at Artis Zoo you certainly won’t be disappointed with your visit. (Unless of course you don’t like animals, in which case you’d be extremely disappointed 
)
The Artis Zoo was created and founded around 1838, and is pretty much unchanged since that time. Things may have changed such as the animals and plants that are there. But it still has that feeling of tranquility and peace as it did when the gates first opened. The gates to the Artis zoo are guarded over by two golden eagles, one sits atop each of the posts that hold the gates. The eagles aren’t real of course, but they are pretty darn life like.
The zoo is 14 hectares in size, giving plenty of space for walking around and relaxing. It’s fairly easy to find a quiet spot as the tracks lead to various gardens and sections of the Artis. In fact it’s sometimes hard to believe that your in the centre of a buzzing capital whilst watching the animals from far away run and play. It’s certainly an experience.
Artis Zoo is split into several different sections giving you the visitor the chance to explore the parts your more interested in. Things such as a Zoological museum as well as a geological museum can both be found at the Artis Zoo, but if neither of these are your thing. Then thats also ok as the Zoo is so massive you’ll have no problem finding something of interest, such as the Planetarium perhaps? Or maybe the Japanese stone garden.
Other parts of the zoo are dedicated to the various types of animals the Artis houses. There are over 700 different species in total including Goats which can be found at rock Goat,European bison,European mouflon,insects,birds and reptiles. To be honest the Artis zoo has just about every kind of animal you’d expect to see at a zoo.
A quick breakdown of what is at the Artis Zoo:
Zoological Museum
Experience some time with the dinosaurs. Learn about what came from where and how they came to these conclusions.
Geological Museum
Into rocks and fossils? The geological museum and displays will have you pondering for hours.
Planetarium
Everything you’d expect from a feature like this.
Aquarium
The Aquarium at the Artis houses many different types of fish and water dwelling creatures.
Botanical Garden
The botanical garden of the Artis has plants from all over the world. Wander round some of the most plants on the planet. Plants not native to the Netherlands are kept in heated rooms or greenhouses to ensure they live through the winter months. (And in some cases the summer months also)
Japanese Stone Garden
The Japanese stone garden used to hold many rare trees and plats from Japan. But due to past diseases, they are no longer there. It’s still a nice part of the zoo to walk around.
Multiple animal enclosures
The animal enclosures within the Artis Zoo house everything from elephants to land predators. The African Savannah enclosure make an interesting tour.
More info about the Zoo and pricing can be found here.
