Children viewing fowl at the Pittsburgh Zoo. More than 100 Years ago, philanthropist Christopher Lyman Magee donated $125,000 for the construction of zoological gardens in Pittsburgh's Highland Park area. On June 14, 1898, the Pittsburgh Zoo opened to the public for the very first time, providing people with a rare glimpse of animals and plants they had never seen before. Fitting zoo paradigms of the time, it was more of an animal menagerie. Throughout the years, the zoo has transformed into a naturalistic habitat and resource for conservation, education and research. The Children's Zoo first opened in 1949 with a grant from the Sarah Mellon Scaife Foundation. Children were able to walk on the soft, spongy tongue of a whale or visit a giant piece of cheese that was home to dozens of mice. Later, the original "Mother Goose" theme and accompanying exhibits were considered inappropriate for animal exhibition. In 1986, the zoo began an interim program to replace the nursery rhyme exhibits with buildings that would adequately house the animals until a new children's zoo could be built. A temporary display, Children's Farm, opened in 1991 featuring domestic animals and animal care demonstrations. In May 1995, the new "Kids Kingdom" opened where even the playground equipment replicates animal motions. It is now regarded as one of the top three children's zoos in the United States.
