The animals’ enclosures are extremely spacious and designed to be as natural as possible. Around 600 animal species – from the Siberian tiger to hippos and rhinoceroses – live on an area of around 17 hectares. Other highlights include the Koala House, the lion enclosure, the South America Park, the Polarium with polar bears, seals and penguins, the ORANG.erie zoo – home to the orangutans – and the Rainforest House with Borneo’s abundant animal and plant diversity (due to reopen in 2025 after an extensive renovation). In 2025, a new pair of giant pandas will be arriving in Vienna from China. And all this just a stone’s throw from the world-famous Schönbrunn Palace.

Show all pictures

1 /of 6

6 pictures

The many feeding sessions appeal to visitors of all ages. Curious to see how cheetahs and tigers consume their prey? Or watch penguins and seals being fed?

Feeding times

Modern and species-appropriate enclosures

Today, Schönbrunn Zoo is one of the most modern and best-rated zoos in the world. The animals’ enclosures are extremely spacious and designed to be as natural as possible. New spacious enclosures and animal houses are added every year: the giraffe house, where visitors can meet the giant animals at eye level, a spacious bathing pool for the hippos, the new lion enclosure and the redesigned petting zoo are just a few of the attractions that have been renovated in recent years. The largest construction project planned for the next few years is a new aquarium with a huge shark tank and Europe’s largest jellyfish tank (scheduled for completion in 2028). 
The historic charm of the zoo will be preserved, however – it is not for nothing that the zoo is part of the Schönbrunn UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was in the summer of 1752 that Emperor Franz I Stephan of Lorraine, Maria Theresa’s husband, took his aristocratic guests to the newly built menagerie in Schönbrunn Palace Park for the first time. This makes Schönbrunn the oldest surviving zoo in the world.

Show all pictures

1 /of 6

6 pictures

Schönbrunn Zoo is not only a popular destination for outings, but also an educational center, a research and teaching hub and a strong partner for nature and species conservation. The animals in the zoo are ambassadors for their relatives in the wild. This creates awareness about animal conservation. The zoo also regularly announces breeding successes. However, the baby animals are not just crowd pleasers – they are also important for the conservation of endangered species.

Themed and night tours

There are numerous themed tours on offer to make your visit to Schönbrunn Zoo even more informative. Visitors can book animal highlights, species threatened with extinction, young animals, evening and night tours, a look behind the scenes and even a dementia-friendly tour. Read our report A day at the zoo here, in which we were able to accompany a zookeeper during her working day at Schönbrunn Zoo.

Browse the range of tours

FAQs – Frequently asked questions