BROOKFIELD, Ill. — The Brookfield Zoo's turning 75 soon.
The suburban Chicago zoo is offering discounts and special events to mark the occasion. That includes free admission for children ages 11 and under on June 29 and 30 and July 1.
The celebration will culminate with the opening of the new Great Bear Wilderness exhibit. It'll feature bald eagles, bison, polar bears and Mexican gray wolves. It's set to open in the spring of 2010.
The Brookfield Zoo first opened its gates to the public on July 1, 1934.
Over the years, it's set a series of firsts. It was one of the first North American zoos to exhibit animals in bar-less enclosures. It exhibited the first giant pandas in North America. And it was the first U.S. zoo to have a black rhino.
______
Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The suburban Chicago zoo is offering discounts and special events to mark the occasion. That includes free admission for children ages 11 and under on June 29 and 30 and July 1.
The celebration will culminate with the opening of the new Great Bear Wilderness exhibit. It'll feature bald eagles, bison, polar bears and Mexican gray wolves. It's set to open in the spring of 2010.
The Brookfield Zoo first opened its gates to the public on July 1, 1934.
Over the years, it's set a series of firsts. It was one of the first North American zoos to exhibit animals in bar-less enclosures. It exhibited the first giant pandas in North America. And it was the first U.S. zoo to have a black rhino.
______
Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
