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geomorph

Lion House - Interior

For details, see my review http://www.zoochat.com/22/review-lincoln-park-zoo-155924/

Lion House - Interior
geomorph, 18 Jun 2010
    • snowleopard
      The Kovler Lion House was built in 1912, and it can become so incredibly loud with large crowds that I pity the unfortunate inhabitants that are forced to eke out an existence within its cavernous walls. Tiny, subpar cat exhibits are completed by below average outdoor areas that offer little in the way of freedom or movement. On my visit in 2008 I saw a number of pacing cats of all sizes, and it is a pity that this building isn't converted into something more modern and contemporary.
    • geomorph
      Was I too kind to the outdoor exhibits in my review? I bashed the interior fairly well!
    • snowleopard
      The outdoor exhibits are okay, but I'd personally define them as below average. The indoor areas are subjected to a massive amount of noise, and their small sizes make them disappointing at best. This building should be turned into a museum, restaurant, or simply a place to exhibit smaller animals than large carnivores.
    • geomorph
      I think a museum is a great idea! I was pondering what to do with it and did not come up with anything. I do not actually want to see it torn down (the main building probably can not be anyway, with historic preservation laws) but the zoo has so many cafes (there is yet another historic one I did not mention, just outside the gates) that I dont think it could support another, but who knows, it would be grand. There must be a contingent of visitors who only visit to eat, because for a zoo this size there are a lot of dining options! I could see a museum about general zoo history sprinkled with displays on this zoos own history; I am unaware of any similar museum anywhere. A natural history museum would not be out of place, but the extensive Field Museum nearby has that covered. Or they could go for being really unique, perhaps an upcharge attraction with multimedia focused on copulation of animals? Something sexy.
    • Maguari
      Duisburg zoo has an excellent small museum in the old Mandrill House:

      http://www.zoochat.com/128/duisburg-zoo-zoo-museum-123899/

      There are reproductions of quite literally hundreds of newspaper cuttings, plus posters, old animal toys - fascinating display!
    • geomorph
      Maguari, thank you for the link!
    • Shirokuma
      And if a major rennovation isn't possible they should just drastically reduce the number of species housed with just one or two smaller cat species in addition to the lions and tigers and a soft refurb of the public area, maybe more sound absorbant floors and naturalistic blocks of planting in the middle.

      I actually find Lincoln Park Zoo fascinating but everything I've seen of the smaller exhibits in the Kovler Lion House is just depressing.
    • MARK
      This looks very like the inside of the old London zoo Lion house years ago
    • Blackduiker
      This would now probably find better use for small mammals or reptiles.
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  • Category:
    Lincoln Park Zoo
    Uploaded By:
    geomorph
    Date:
    18 Jun 2010
    View Count:
    4,048
    Comment Count:
    13