Artis (Natura Artis Magistra)
The fifth oldest operating zoo in the world, open since 1838 — and its name is an accident of which gate stayed unlocked.
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Founded by three zoology enthusiasts on a former estate in what was then the outskirts of Amsterdam, Artis packs a zoo, aquarium, planetarium, arboretum, and Micropia onto a single historic property. 27 of its buildings, bridges, and ponds are officially listed — most still serve as animal enclosures. The last quagga ever held in captivity died here in 1883; no one realized it at the time.
What to look for
- Three entrance gates each inscribed with one word — 'Natura', 'Artis', 'Magistra' — the middle gate was usually the only one open, which is how the zoo's full Latin name was forgotten by most visitors.
- Art collection displayed inside the aquarium building, not a separate gallery.
- Most of the 27 listed historic structures still in active use as animal enclosures rather than preserved behind barriers.
September has been the public-access month since 1851, when the zoo first opened to the public at all. It became a formal discount month in 1920, when year-round access began.
Artis (Natura Artis Magistra) is one of 36 sights worth the detour in Amsterdam, all bundled offline in Voyage GO — download the Amsterdam pack and it sits on your map with no signal, filling your travel passport the moment you walk past.
More to see in Amsterdam
- RijksmuseumOne million objects collected over 200 years — and the 8,000 on display include the Dutch Golden Age painters who changed what art could be.
- Amstel RiverAmsterdam literally means "Amstel Dam" — the city takes its name from a medieval dam built across this river.
- Van Gogh MuseumThe world's largest Van Gogh collection exists because his sister-in-law spent years refusing to let his unsold work disappear.
- WeespA town that Holland deliberately over-fortified — then flooded on purpose to hold back armies.
- Johan Cruyff ArenaThe Netherlands' largest stadium exists because Amsterdam lost the 1992 Olympics bid to Barcelona — and built something better anyway.
- Defence Line of Amsterdam (Stelling van Amsterdam)Dutch engineers turned the polder itself into a weapon: flood the fields to about 30 centimetres — too shallow for boats to cross — and Amsterdam becomes an island.