Zoos: A Historical Perspective

A collection of pamphlets and guide books published by zoos over the past century has been collected by the National Zoological Park branch of the Smithsonian Libraries. This online sample of these items, which includes maps, drawings and photographs of zoos from over 30 states and 40 countries is intended to highlight the value of this resource for both zoo and cultural historians. Few libraries or archives today contain materials showing the evolution of zoos in the modern era to the extent that this collection does.