London Zoo has been digitally recreated as it was in 1904 for the Planet Zoo simulation game ahead of the Zoological Society of London’s 200th anniversary.
The online recreation of London Zoo from more than 100 years ago has launched on Planet Zoo, which allows players to digitally construct and manage their own zoos and wildlife parks.
It was designed by London Zoo engagement officer and Planet Zoo fan Ralph Stickley and took nearly three years to build.
To create the experience, Stickley used a century’s worth of London Zoo maps, site diaries and historic photos.
He said: “I knew I wanted the recreation to be absolutely accurate, so I began my research in earnest more than three years ago – I cross-referenced maps with photographs, and descriptions from visitors and old zoo records to understand the precise layout of the grounds, and while I’ve had to employ some creative licensing when it comes to the plants and trees, the zoo buildings are as close to reality as I could get them.”
Online recreation took nearly 3 years to build
Players in Planet Zoo can explore the buildings and animals of London Zoo in 1904. The recreation is available to download from Steam for Planet Zoo.
Stickley made the decision to recreate London Zoo in 1904 “as it was the year before some really significant changes were made to the site by then-secretary, Sir Peter Chalmers Mitchell, so it gives a glimpse into a zoo that’s quite unrecognisable today”, he said.
Chalmers Mitchell joined ZSL as secretary in 1903 and introduced what were then groundbreaking concepts in the field of animal care and zookeeping.
Tina Campanella, ZSL’s bicentenary project manager, said: “As ZSL gears up to celebrate its 200th anniversary in 2026, this remarkable glimpse into the history of London Zoo is a great way to see all we have achieved and how far we’ve come.
“Ralph’s attention to detail is really quite astonishing, from the intricacies of the railings surrounding exhibits to the order in which the lions, tigers and leopards lived inside the big cat habitat, you can spend hours investigating every corner of London Zoo a century ago.”
Images courtesy of ZSL
