Oakland Zoo reached a tremendous milestone in 2022: Our 100th birthday!

1922 was quite the year. You could buy a brand-new car for about $1,000, automated telephone service just began, the White House installed its first radio, Betty White was born, and five zoos opened worldwide. One of those was the Oakland Zoo. 

Originally located at 19th and Harrison streets in downtown Oakland, the Zoo has changed locations several times over the last century.

But what hasn’t changed is the fact that the Oakland Zoo is so entrenched in the fabric of our city and community, it’s hard to imagine a time without it. Officially founded on June 6, 1922, by Henry A. Snow, and later operated by his son Sidney Snow, we, along with the City of Oakland, have seen such tremendous progress and outstanding growth over the past 100 years.

As we honor and reflect upon our long history and celebrate this amazing milestone, it is with great pride and deep gratitude that we reflect on the impact we strive to make every day on our guests, the animals in our care, and our ever-growing and evolving commitment to wildlife conservation here at home and across the globe.

Throughout 2022, we celebrated our centennial with great pride and thoughtful reflection of years past. And as we look forward to the next 100 years, we fully commit to a purpose-driven future where nature and wildlife not just survive but thrive.

We hope that future will be filled with wildlife and nature-inspired youth that grow into our future generation of scientists. Scientists that are the solution to the climate change crisis that impacts us all – both humans and animals alike. And we hope you will help us celebrate the past 100 years and the next 100 years come.