A period motorcycle will not be missing from the celebrations. Photo archive of the Prague Zoo
Traditionally, on Czech National Day, the Prague Zoo will celebrate the anniversary of its opening – this time with serial number 95!
For Monday, September 28, the zoo prepared a festive program in the presence of special guests. Costumes, historical vehicles, or stylish camels delivering period newspapers will transport the entire garden to the 1930s on this day. Those interested will be able to have their hairstyles created for free and dance to the music of a live swing band. Visitors who arrive at the celebration in a themed outfit will also receive a small gift. The program will also include the presentation of novelties or the opening of the exhibition 95 years of the Prague Zoo. There will be popular training of sea lions or commented feeding and meetings with the animals that stood at the beginning of the Prague Zoo: wolves, lions or elephants.
In addition to history, the theme of the 95th anniversary celebration will also be Převalský’s iconic horse. At the same time, the Prague Zoo is commemorating the 15th anniversary of the Return of Wild Horses project, within the framework of which the zoo and its partners are reintroducing these ungulates into the wild of Central Asia. In addition, symbolically, the year 2026 in the Chinese horoscope is in the sign of the Fire Horse. At the Gobi exhibition complex, the ambassador of Mongolia in the Czech Republic and the ambassador of Kazakhstan in the Czech Republic will speak about the importance of this world-famous project. Representatives of the Army of the Czech Republic will then talk about the difficulty of transport, while the program will be enriched by a musical performance by Mongolian artists led by Badam Bolor.
Zoo founder Professor Janda and the legendary elephant Baby. Photo archive of the Prague Zoo
Only on the day of the anniversary celebration, visitors to the garden will also have a unique opportunity to purchase an exclusive souvenir introduced for the 95th anniversary of the Prague Zoo.
In addition to clothes and hairstyles, the atmosphere of the 30s will be breathed into life by historic cars and motorcycles with advertisements from the time, camels handing out newspapers, performances by the Sunny Swing Orchestra and the ZIG-ZAG tap & swing dance studio, which will also offer a period dance workshop. The rich program will also include a fashion show presented by Aristokrat Vintage, a musical performance by Ema Papšová, interviews with witnesses, and the ceremonial opening of the 95-year photography exhibition of the Prague Zoo, which will present important milestones in the history of the metropolitan zoo.
The feeding of the male lion Jamvan will start at 15.00. Photo by Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo
You can find the detailed program of this year’s annual celebration below.
The main program of the 95th annual celebration of the Prague Zoo
11.00 Opening of the annual celebration and presentation of novelties (Educational Center)
13.00 15 years of the project Return of wild horses (Gobi)
14.00 95 years of Prague Zoo – exhibition with historical milestones (Educational Center)
Terrace of the Education Center
10.10 Period dance workshop with ZIG-ZAG tap & swing dance studio
10.30 Musical performance by the band Sunny Swing Orchestra
11.00 Opening of the annual celebration with representatives of the City Hall. city of Prague
11.20 Presentation of novelties at the Prague Zoo
11.30 Fashion show presented by Aristokrat Vintage
13.50 Musical performance by Ema Papšová
14.00 Interviews with witnesses and the opening of the exhibition 95 years of the Prague Zoo
10.00–16.00 Photo corner
Gobi exhibition complex
12.45 Musical performance by Mongolian artists led by Badam Bolor
13.05 Introductory speech by the director of the Prague Zoo about the future of the Return of Wild Horses
13.10 H.E. Ambassador of Mongolia: handing over the patronage of the project from the head of state
13.15 Speech by HE the Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan
13.20 Interview with representatives of the Army of the Czech Republic
10.00–16.00 Face painting
10.00–16.00 Mongolia, land of wild horses: program with the Society of Czech-Mongolian Friendship and Cooperation
10.00-16.00 Return of wild horses: information and game station
Special guided feedings and meetings
10.00 Meeting at the raptors (Large raptor aviary)
10.30 Meeting at Převalský’s horses (Gobi)
12.30 Meeting at the elephants (Elephant Valley, grass paddock near the Gulab Restaurant)
13.30 Demonstration of sea lion training (sea lion exposure in the lower part of the zoo)
15.00 Feeding of the male lion (Pavilion of beasts and reptiles, outdoor enclosure of lions)
15.30 Feeding the wolves (wolf enclosure in the upper part of the zoo)