Mesker Park Zoo and Botanical Garden has been a staple in the Evansville community for decades. Many of us have grown up with a variety of exotic animals in our "backyard" and the memories surrounding the zoo are abundant.

What most people from my generation don't know is the lush history of Mesker Park Zoo. We stopped in for picnics and fed the giraffe but Mesker Park Zoo's history contains so much more than a few animal encounters. In the 1940s, it was a premiere zoo of the world - its groundbreaking methods of housing animals in natural habitat was cutting edge and zoologists from around the world came to learn from the methodology.

It a new exhibit, you can learn all about the highlights of Mesker Zoo's history. It's an interactive exhibit too - from feeling replicated skin of Donna the hippo to posing for a quick picture on the boat, you'll learn about the rich impact the zoo has had on our community.

We were able to speak with Jennifer Preston, Development Director, and experience the exhibit for ourselves. (Below)

 

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