Blank Park Zoo, Iowa’s only accredited zoo, opened on May 8, 1966, as the Des Moines Children’s Zoo. Built on former Fort Des Moines land, it was made possible by a $150,000 donation from Abraham Harry Blank and the vision of Mayor Charles Iles. The original 22-acre zoo featured nursery rhyme themes, a moated castle, Monkey Island, and a miniature train—drawing over 185,000 visitors in its first year.
By the 1970s, attendance declined, prompting locals to form The Blank Park Zoo Foundation. In 1981, the group raised over $3 million with public support, transforming the zoo into a modern facility focused on conservation and naturalistic habitats.
Today, the 49-acre Blank Park Zoo welcomes more than 200,000 visitors a year and continues to inspire Iowans through education, conservation, and community programs like Night Eyes and Campfire Summer Camp.
