With over 20 years of experience working at two of the most well-known museums in the UK and a lifetime love of the natural world, Justin Morris joined the Bristol Zoological Society in June 2018. With Morris at the helm, the 186-year-old Bristol Zoological Society has undergone a significant organisational transformation. By leaving its original home city site and investing in a much larger countryside site, the organisation has created a modern zoo that will be suitable for the next 150 years or more.
Bristol Zoo Gardens in Clifton, the fifth oldest zoo in the world, closed in September 2022 after 186 years. It is relocating and merging with its sister site, the Wild Place Project, and in April 2023 it announced a new name for the site, the Bristol Zoo Project. This will serve as the Bristol Zoological Society’s new 136-acre visitor attraction.
“We are on a journey,” said Morris, on the announcement of the new name. “Wild animals are under threat of extinction, and we think zoos have an important role to play to address this ecological crisis, which is why we are investing in our 136-acre site.
He added: “With more space, our charity will be able to provide excellent animal welfare, create opportunities for more visitors to come face-to-face with threatened animals, and inspire and educate the conservationists of the future.”
In his previous role as the Natural History Museum’s director of public engagement, Morris oversaw all commercial and public engagement initiatives, as well as the commercial strategy for the museum both domestically and abroad. He had previously worked for the British Museum for two years as the director of operations and projects and the director of strategic planning. Initially, he worked as a curator at the British Museum, conducting archaeology fieldwork across the subcontinent of South Asia.