The Artis - Much more than a zoo
Having been in existence for almost 170 years, Amsterdam’s Artis Zoo is the oldest zoo in the Netherlands. Located in the Plantage neighborhood in Amsterdam East, the zoo itself houses a planetarium, geological and zoological museums and an aquarium. Recently (2006), the zoo added an amazing butterfly pavilion allowing you to walk among more than 1000 butterflies, including some of the largest and fastest flying butterflies in the world. The zoo also houses Europe’s largest collection of insects (approximately 70 species) in its Insectarium.
Although not as large as some of its other European counterparts, the Artis’s smaller size makes it extremely manageable for families with small children (i.e. you can see most if not all of the exhibits before your kids tire out) or for visitors who don’t want to spend an entire day of their vacation viewing animal exhibits. With over 700 species there is plenty in this zoo to keep visitors happy.
Parents- there is a petting area where kids can feed goats, chickens, geese, pigs and other birds. Beware though – the goats can be a bit aggressive when spotting food. I witnessed one take a nibble on the fingers of a little girl who didn’t quite feed them quickly enough. All in all the petting zoo is great – just watch where you step (a general rule to follow when in Amsterdam).
Have a good one,
Erika
The Artis - http://www.artis.nl/international/index.html
Hours of Operation – The Artis is open year round from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Summer hours usually extend the closing time to 6:00 p.m.
Ticket Prices – Ticket prices can vary from year to year, but 2006 prices were quite affordable at €16.00 for adults, €15.00 for Seniors (65+) and €12.50 for children ages 3 to 9. Children under 3 are free. Ticket prices also include admission to the Geological and Zoological Museums, the Aquarium and the Planetarium.
How to get there – Getting to the Artis is quite easy.
Trams – Take the 6, 9, 10 or 14
Metro – Waterlooplein Station
Canal Boat –from Central station, you can take the Artis Expres, a canal boat that is operated by one of Amsterdam’s most popular canal boat touring companies, Lovers Shipping co.
