Some 93 acres of zoo, public aquarium, and botanical garden open in front of you at the Indianapolis Zoo, here in White River State Park. Feel the scale: this institution was incorporated in 1944, and the Indianapolis Zoological Society established its first zoo at George Washington Park in 1964 before the current zoo opened here at White River State Park in 1988, near downtown Indianapolis. It is among the largest privately funded zoos in the U.S., accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the American Alliance of Museums, and a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
It was the first in the United States to receive triple accreditation as a zoo, aquarium, and botanical garden. The zoo is known as a leader in animal conservation and research, recognized for the biennial Indianapolis Prize and as home to the Global Center for Species Survival through its partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature. In 2020 the zoo cared for more than 1,400 animals of 235 species, while White River Gardens contained over 50,000 plants of more than 5,000 species.
Notice that in 2020 this zoo cared for more than 1,400 animals of 235 species, while its Gardens held over 50,000 plants nearby.