The Detroit Zoo

The Detroit Zoo has had a long and fascinating life and has a story to tell—many stories, really—about its beginnings, its struggles and the achievements that today make it one of Michigan’s most important resources for education about wildlife and action related to animal conservation and protection.

The Detroit Zoo was a pioneer in the use of open landscape to exhibit animals. The Zoo of 1928 gave visitors an experience rare in the world —the opportunity to stand just a few yards away from animals, separated only by a moat and shrubbery. To people familiar only with traveling circuses and animals locked in cages, this was a breathtaking experience. It was a first in the United States, a zoo that was essentially without bars.

The Detroit Zoo is Located 30 miles from Hawthorn Suites, visit their website for Directions & Hours.