Series 4 includes textual documentation of the Zoo and its work, generally, including annual reports, Penrose Laboratory reports, animal inventories, board meeting minutes, general correspondence, contracts and agreements for construction projects and services, materials about educational offerings for schools and other groups, and other records. The records are arranged alphabetically by type and/or topic.

 38                    Accreditation application, American Association of Museums          circa 1995
 25                    Animal inventories          1989-2011
 147                    Animal Inventory          2014
 130                    Annual Reports (photocopies)          1874-1876
 25                    Annual Reports          1911-1938
 55                    Annual Report          1973-1976
 55                    Annual Report          1997-2007
 130                    Annual Report to the Fairmount Park Commission          1973-1974
 130                    Report to the City of Philadelphia          1973-1974
 130                    Report to the City of Philadelphia          1982
 130                    Report to the City of Philadelphia          1985
 130                    Report to the City of Philadelphia          1986
 130                    Report to the City of Philadelphia          1987
 130                    Report to the City of Philadelphia          1988
 130                    Report to the City of Philadelphia          1990
 147                    Board of Directors meeting minutes (photocopies)          1960-2004
 147                    Board of Directors membership lists (photocopies)          1936-1974
 26                    Board of Directors. "Zoo School"          1993, 1997
 127                    Board of Directors. Cheston, Radcliffe, Jr., City of Philadelphia resolution honoring Cheston and certificate on his retirement          1965
 127                    Citation from French Museum of Natural History on the occasion of Philadelphia Zoo’s 100th anniversary (in French with translation)          1959
 127                    Citation, City of Philadelphia Freedom Week          1960
 127                    Clipping. Philadelphia Inquirer Today Magazine article on hummingbird exhibit, “They’re Tiny But Mighty” (3 copies)          1967
 127                    Clipping. Philadelphia Inquirer, "Cats at the Zoo"          1967
 127                    Clipping. Zoo story in Philadelphia Inquirer          1961
 136                    Correspondence, contracts, and/or specifications relating to  building and grounds projects, agreements with service providers, including photographers and Zoo employees; and general correspondence regarding other Zoo matters          1873-1899
 40                    Correspondence (letterbook) of Zoo Superintendent Arthur E. Brown          1893-1906
 137                    Correspondence, contracts, and/or specifications relating to building and grounds projects; agreements with service providers, including public transportation and telephones; and other records related to the general management of the Zoo and its animals          1900-1924
 137                    Correspondence, contracts, and agreements regarding insurance, restaurant, School District of Philadelphia, and the temporary boarding of an elephant          1927-1935
 137                    Correspondence, contract, and other records regarding WCAU-TV, Edward R. Murrow, and the Zoo          1952
 137                    Correspondence and/or contracts regarding the Impala Fountain construction          1962-1963
 127                    Correspondence regarding Robert S. Robison artwork donation            1985-1986
 137                    Correspondence and contract regarding A.J. O'Bara, Jr. bronze sculptures          1989
 69                    Education. School programs, field trip and Scouts guides, and other related records          2001-2006
 70                    Education. School programs, field trip and Scouts guides, and other related records          2006-2014
 75                    Education. Ticketing info school flyer and "Did you know?" color poster of black and white ruffed lemur, 2005 (4 copies)          2005
 76                    Education. Draft field trip flyer with poster of Kon the black jaguar, "Discover! Meet the Big Cats Today!"          2007
 75                    Education. Liberia's Protected Wildlife - poster produced by the Conservation Dept. for bushmeat education in Liberia          undated
 137                    Lease with the Save Animals from Extinction International Foundation for an office in the Shelly building for $1 per year          1974
 26                    Penrose Laboratory reports          1924-1938, 1956-1967
 72                    Plaque from Korea, Yong In Farmland, Soo Hwan Lee (President), 31 July 1987 - given to Zoo in international friendship and appreciation of donation of 0.1 tiger (Dolly, #100991) on 8 July 1987          1987
 127                    Proclamation City of Philadelphia "Philadelphia Zoo Month"           1974
 127                    Proclamation from City of Philadelphia, “Zoo Centennial Day”          1959
 26                    Scrapbook, Polar Bear Day          1982
 39                    Scrapbooks of events          1995-2001

Series 5: Financial records, 1874-2005

Series 5 documents Zoo finances, especially as documented in ledgers and other records of admissions, stocks, loans, and special funds. Of note, is correspondence regarding work relief funds received by the Zoo in the 1930s.

 147                    Admissions tickets donated record          1990-2000
 129                    Admissions, schedule of prices          1953
 129                    Admissions, schedule of prices          1958
 129                    Clipping. Philadelphia Inquirer article re need for new Reptile House, Zoo needs $5,500,000 to fill education role, Zoo needs $5,500,00 for face lift,           1958
 129                    Clipping. Philadelphia Inquirer Editorial. Give Zoo the Support it Needs           1958
 129                    Composite list of lenders to Zoological Society, 1877-1958         
 129                    Correspondence and other records regarding applications for Federal Public Works funds          1933-1934
 129                    Correspondence and other records regarding federal and other taxes, especially exemptions          1932, 1941-1959
 129                    Correspondence and other records regarding transfer of Loan Holders Certificates          1936-1937
 129                    Correspondence and other records regarding Welfare and Pension Plan Disclosure Act          1959
 129                    Correspondence regarding admissions and agreement for entry of school children, especially the School District of Philadelphia          1934, 1935
 129                    Correspondence regarding Alfred Cope trust          1934
 129                    Correspondence regarding amending charter          1934
 129                    Correspondence regarding the Richard Mattison will, especially stocks          1933
 129                    Insurance policies on Zoo buildings          2005
 67                    Ledger: - Receipts from admissions          1874-1925
 67                    Ledger: - Receipts from admissions          1925-1964
 67                    Ledger: - Receipts from admissions          1965-1967
 66                    Ledger: - Record of admissions and receipts          1916-1929
 68                    Ledger: - Record of admissions and receipts          1950-1968
 67                    Ledger: - Record of tickets due on the loan of the Society held          1903-1922
 59                    Ledger of certificates of perpetual membership, $200.00, No. 1-500, plus loose correspondence and death certificates          1887-1991
 147                    Ledger of loan holder ticket receipts          1952-1987
 62                    Ledger of loan holders tickets receipts          1923-1951
 61                    Ledger of stock certificates, $100.00, No. 1-499          1876-1963
 65                    Ledger of stock certificates, $1000.00, No. 1-500          1876-1992
 62                    Ledger of stock certificates, $150.00, No. 101-200          1923-1971
 62                    Ledger of stock certificates, $150.00, No. 1-100          1876-1919
 63                    Ledger of stock certificates, $200.00, No. 1-499          1876-1973
 64                    Ledger of stock certificates, $500.00, No. 1-500          1876-1992
 62                    Ledger of stock certificates, $5000.00, No. 1-100          1876-2005
 129                    Letter from Cadwalader to Barnes regarding no action          1934
 129                    Letter to Cadwalader from Barnes regarding return of papers          1934
 129                    Letter to Service Women's Club re free entry to Zoo for women in uniform,           1943
 129                    List of donors          1928-1934,1935
 129                    Loan certificates held for Alfred W. ogden to Charles Lloyd. Regarding holding transferred certificate for signature.          1936
 129                    Loan Holders as of May 1, 1958 in certificate number order (from 1876 onward)           
 129                    Loan Holders as of May 1, 1958 in name order (from 1876 onward)         
 129                    Loan Holders drop list          1945
 60                    Loan register book: ledger with names of lenders and amounts          1876-1979
 129                    Members Fund for purchase of animals          1927
 129                    Members Fund for purchase of animals          1928-1933
 129                    Members Fund for purchase of animals          1928-1935
 129                    Release: to mrs. Fred Bownman, 16.92 to cover damage to clothing from accident in the Zoo          1937
 129                    Report regarding restaurant; prepared by Horwath & Horwath          1933
 57                    Transfers of loans          1888-1942
 58                    Transfers of loans          1874-1950
 25                    Treasurers' reports          1938-1958
 129                    Will of Robert Coane          1931
 129                    Zoo bond Charles Lloyd $1,000 certificate #334 (1 copy)          undated

Series 6: Buildings and grounds, 1939-2005

Series 6 is composed primarily of architectural drawings for the Zoo’s buildings, grounds, and exhibitions. There are related records to some of these drawings in series 4 and 5.

 M3B                    Administration building and Educational center, architectural drawings          1968-1970
 M3B                    Administration building and Educational center, architectural drawings          1968-1970
 M3B                    Administration building and Educational center, architectural drawings (MOLD)          1968-1970
 156                    Bear Country, proposed          1970
 154                    Bird House renovations          1984
 M3A                    Bird house, architectural drawing          1948
 M3A                    Bird house, architectural drawings          1948
 M3A                    Bird house, architectural drawings          1948
 M3A                    Bird house, architectural drawings          1968-1969
 M3A                    Bird house, architectural drawings          1981-1992
 M3A                    Bird house, architectural drawings          1986
 M3A                    Bird house, architectural drawings:           1986
 M3A                    Bird house. Diazotypes and transparency:           1986-1987
 156                    Camel Pens          1961
 M3D                    Carnivore house, architectural drawings          1949
 M3D                    Carnivore house, architectural drawings          1948-1949
 M3D                    Carnivore house, architectural drawings          1948-1949
 M3D                    Carnivore house, architectural drawings          1949
 150                    Carnivore Kingdom. Carnivore Exhibit          1988
 151                    Carnivore Kingdom. Carnivore Exhibit          1988
 M3B                    Children’s Zoo, architectural drawing          1950s
 M3B                    Children’s Zoo, architectural drawing          1956-1957
 M3B                    Children’s Zoo, architectural drawing          1956-1957
 M3B                    Children’s Zoo, architectural drawing          1988
 M3C                    Conservatory elevations, North gate gazebo, North Plaza, architectural drawings          1981-1983
 158                    Elephant and Baby statue plans          1986
 M3C                    Elephant house, architectural drawings and copies          1939-1940, 1992
 M3C                    Exhibit building, architectural drawings          1971
 26                    Facilities planning manual          1986
 156                    Hummingbird Exhibit          1968
 M3A                    Hummingbird exhibit, architectural drawings           1967
 M3C                    Impala fountain, architectural drawings:           1962
 152                    Long range plan design, architectural drawings          1997
 M3C                    North entrance improvements, architectural drawings          1959
 155                    Small Mammal House          1965
 157                    Small Mammal House          1961-1963
 M3C                    Small mammal house, architectural drawing copies          2005
 M3C                    Small mammal house, architectural drawings          1965-1966
 M3C                    Small mammal house, architectural drawings          1965-1969
 M3C                    Toilet building, North entrance gate house, architectural drawings          1960
 160                    Tree inventory, by Marty Kromer.          2004
 160                    Tree inventory, includes species identification plus general size, by the South Street Design Company and Sere, Ltd.          1990
 156                    Zebra House          1961
 159                    Zebra House and pens          1961
 M3C                    Zebra pens, architectural drawings          1961

Series 7: Buttons, patches, and other objects, 1874, 1974-circa 2010

Series 7 contains assorted objects, including buttons and patches, commemorative coins, stickers, bookplates, and temporary tattoos, examples of Zoo keepers’ hats, and a brick from the original Monkey House.

 72                    Commemorative coin collection. Features rare and endangered species celebrating the Centennial of the Philadelphia Zoological Garden, 1874-1974. Minted by the Historic Mint of Long Island, Ltd.  Conceived and sculpted by Harry Rosin.  12 coins; all of the peregrine falcon.  11 other animals in the series. (see press release 12 Jan 1972 for additional info)          1974
 71                    Buttons          1980s-2010s
 135                    Patches          1990s-2000s, undated
 135                    Stickers          undated
 135                    Bookplates          undated
 135                    Temporary Tattoos          2000s, undated
 77                    Brick from original monkey house         
 41                    Employee caps          undated

Series 8: Digital Materials, 2005-2015

Series 8 contains both born digital materials and digital surrogates of older materials, including photographs, publications, correspondence, press releases, architectural renderings, and other records. While the digital files date from 2005 to 2015, the surrogates are of a variety of records dating back to 1875. This series has not yet been processed. Please contact the Special Collections Research Center for more information.

Series 9: Website versions in Archive-It, 2000-2017

Series 9 contains preserved versions of the Philadelphia Zoo’s website. To access these sites, see the Temple University Special Collections Research Center Urban Archives Archive-It web page: https://archive-it.org/collections/4487
 

 

          Subseries 2.1: Books and periodicals, 1875-2016

          Subseries 2.2: Correspondence and other records, 1899-1967

          Subseries 2.3: Posters, 1859-1986

Series 4: General records, 1873-2014

Series 5: Financial records, 1874-2005

Series 6: Buildings and grounds, 1939-2005 

Series 7: Buttons, patches, and other objects, 1874, 1974-circa 2010

Series 8: Digital materials, 2005-2015

Series 9: Website versions in Archive-It, 2000-2017