ARTIS Amsterdam Royal Zoo is a 19th-century zoo in the heart of Amsterdam. It is the oldest zoo in the Netherlands and one of the oldest in Europe (opened in 1838) and surrounded by Amsterdams historic canals. The entry includes the Planetarium, daily zookeeper talks and on weekends a free guided tour. A good choice for families and anyone who wants a half-day outdoors in green space close to the city centre.
ARTIS Zoo is designed as a walk-through park. There is no fixed route and you will visit habitats, historic buildings, gardens and educational spaces.
The zoo is home to Asian elephants, giraffes, lions, gorillas, jaguars, penguins, sea lions and many others. The habitats are mostly separated by natural barriers like waterways and vegetation. The butterfly enclosure takes you into a full tropical environment. But the highlight right now are the Oliphant calves. This are the activities you can expect during your visit:
Zookeeper talks | Included in your ticket. These educational talks are held in different habitats and they cover interesting facts about penguins, jaguars, sea lions, red lemurs and others. Each keeper talks about the animals in their care, their character, behaviour and daily routine. Currently in only in Dutch, but the keepers are happy to answer questions in English.
The Planetarium | Included in your ticket. Watch shows about our universe, our planet and our place in it. These are available in English and are interesting for adults and children aline. Download the ARTIS app to check the daily show schedule.
Weekend guided tours | Included in your ticket. A guide takes you through the park sharing facts about the buildings, plants and animals. Every tour is different depending on the season.
The zoo has also different vegetarian food spots throughout the park. You can get a coffee and pie close to the Planetrium or have lunch at the Waterkant restaurant, with direct view onto the lion enclosure. On sunny days you can also have some fries, ice cream and pastries.
ARTIS also has also other activities, like: Micropia, the world’s first museum dedicated to microbes, and the Grote Museum, where you learn about humans and our similarities with other species. Both educational and free for kids under 12 years. The 13 of June the ARTIS Aquarium will open it’s doors again after five years.
Most of us visited ARTIS Zoo as kids. Coming back as an adult, the thing that I still like the most is the layout. Most habitats are separated by natural barriers and low fences. One of the most fun parts of the visit is seeing the small monkeys cross the “bridges” in the trees. That’s not something you find in many zoos.
Our favorite habitats: the elephant habitat. It has a lake with a path from where you get a unique point of view – If you are lucky you will see them take a bath. The new lion enclosure, it has underground tunnels where you can get eye level with them. The butterfly habitat, a full tropical microclimate, warm and humid, but full of hundreds – if not more – butterfly species.
The Planetarium has different interesting shows about nature and they last only 30 minutes. The shows are also available in english and the dome screen makes the experience more immersive. I recommend seeing “A journey Through the Universe”.
The zookeeper talks are informative, but currently only in Dutch, however, the staff are approachable and happy to answer questions in English, which helps, but it’s a limitation worth knowing about. The food spots are all vegetarian and scattered throughout the park. During sunny and warm days there are more options, like fries, pastries and ice cream.
Booking the entry is very easy online, and I also recommend downloading the ARTIS app before you arrive: it has the full daily schedule, feeding times and Planetarium showtimes. The entrance can get busy, so ty to arrive early for less crowd.
ARTIS Zoo is not the cheapest (€29,50), but also not much more expensive then most activities in the city (€26). Considering you can stay as long as you like and have different programs included, the value is quite high.
ARTIS Zoo is ideal for visitors and families who want to enjoy a green space close to the centre.
Book your activity in under a minute and secure your spot. No hassle, choose your date, reserve instantly, and get ready for an unforgettable experience.
ARTIS Zoo is open daily from 09:00 to 18:00. The Planetarium, ARTIS talks and weekend live guides are included with your zoo ticket, which makes the visit especially good value if you plan to spend a few hours in the park.
You can easily book your ticket online, click on the red button to buy your entrance through their website.
You can easily book your ticket online, click on the red button to buy your entrance through their website. You can also buy your ticket at the entrance, but online you get about €2 discount, it’s faster and less queuing. If needed, you can reschedule your ticket by calling to 020 5233 670. If needed, you can reschedule your ticket by calling to 020 5233 670.
ARTIS has two other museums – both free for kids up to 12 years and you get discount if you book them together:
Micropia the world’s first museum about microbes (from €6 instead of €17).
ARTIS Grote Museum: learn about humans, animals, plant and our whole ecosystem (from €6 instead of €17)..
ARTIS Zoo is pin-only, so it is not possible to pay with cash.
ARTIS has its own parking lot, at a daily rate of €17.50. You can pay at the entrance desk or at the parking machine near the Planetarium. However, on busy days it fills up fast. If you’re visiting on a weekend or during school holidays, it’s safer to use one of the nearby Q-Park parking garages: Q-Park Weesperplein, Q-Park Oost or Q-Park Waterlooplein, all around 13 minutes on foot from the entrance.
Booking a spot at Q-Park in advance is worth it: your space is guaranteed and the barrier opens automatically on arrival. You can cancel free of charge up to 1 hour before arrival.
ARTIS Zoo is easy to reach by public transport from Amsterdam Central Station (16 minutes) and other parts of the city. You can reach the zoo with:
🚋Tram 14 to Muiderpoort station: step out at the stop ARTIS/Holocaust museum.
🚇Metro 51 to Isolatorweg: step out at the stop Waterlooplein and walk 10 minutes
🚇Metro 54 to Gein: step out at the stop Waterlooplein and walk 10 minutes
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It combines multimedia exhibits, aroma installations and interactive games that explore the art of mixology. At the end of the tour you can enjoy a freshly prepared cocktail, which is included in your entree ticket!
A complete lunch or dinner with dessert in one of the best-located restaurants in the city. Good food, generous portions and enough rock memorabilia to feel as if you are eating in a museum. The restaurant sits five minutes from Museumsquare and Leidseplein, the ideal place to eat between museums and sightseeing.
The Bols Cocktail 30 or 60 minutes workshop combines multimedia exhibits, interactive installations and a workshop where you learn the art of mixology. You will make two different cocktails and afterwards you can also another freshly prepared cocktail in the mirror bar.
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