Orientarium Zoo Łódź

Orientarium ZOO Łódź is the municipal zoo in Park na Zdrowiu on Konstantynowska Street, in Polesie, known above all for the Orientarium, opened in 2022, a building dedicated to the fauna of Southeast Asia with an underwater tunnel beneath sharks. On an area of 16.64 hectares live over 5,000 animals belonging to more than 625 species, and the facility is run as a municipal company within the structure of Holding Łódź.

From the fence of 1938 to today's company

The beginning of the garden is dated to autumn 1938, when the construction of the area's fence was completed, on a fragment of the former Puszcza Łódzka [Łódź Forest]. According to tradition, the first animal was a deer caught at Plac Reymonta and named Boruta, which instead of being released into the forest, was kept on site. The zoo survived the war in good condition, and after 1945 it received some animals from the destroyed facility in Wrocław. In 1996 it was the first in Poland to import Asian lions. On 22 June 2016 the garden was converted into a limited liability company, and the plan to build the Orientarium was announced a year earlier, on 3 December 2015. From 3 October 2024 the chairman of the board has been Łukasz Goss, and on 8 May 2025 the zoo formally became part of Holding Łódź sp. z o.o.

How the Orientarium was built

Construction of the Orientarium began in September 2018 and ended in September 2021, and the opening, originally planned for 2020, took place six months later, on 29 April 2022. It was the largest investment in the history of the Łódź zoo. The general contractor was Przedsiębiorstwo Robót Mostowych Mosty Łódź and the functional programme was developed by Wojciech Napierała Architektura studio. The building has approximately 33 thousand square metres of floor space and three storeys, including one underground, and the pavilion was built on the grounds of an operating zoo, so the Orientarium route flows seamlessly with the rest of the zoo. Shortly after opening, in 2022, the garden was home to 3,350 animals from 554 species.

Four zones of the visit

The visit through the Orientarium leads in turn through the elephant house, temple zone, ocean zone and jungle zone. In the elephant house there is a pool for Indian elephants with an observation window through which animals can be seen underwater. The temple zone features lion macaques, Malayan tapirs and Oriental palm civets. In the jungle zone live gharials, Sumatran orang-utans, sun bears and binturongs. Four species shown in Łódź have no equivalent in other Polish zoos: amazonian river dolphins, Sumatran orang-utans, gharials and Asian wild dogs. The same complex also houses enclosures for large cats, described separately as Lions and Tigers ZOO Orientarium.

Tunnel beneath three million litres of water

The ocean zone comprises seven tanks holding over 3 million litres of water and an acrylic tunnel 26 metres long and about 2.4 metres high, the longest structure of its kind in Poland. The tanks are home to over 1,300 aquatic animals representing approximately 180 species, from sharks to coral reef fish.

2025: record attendance and new animals

August 2025 was the best month in the history of Orientarium ZOO Łódź: the facility was visited by over 190,000 people, the most since opening in 2022. During the year, the zoo received among others two Sumatran tigers Alif and Raya, Asian lioness Indica and Malayan sun bear Gula, as well as rarely presented species such as mouse deer, cassowaries and Heterodontus zebra shark. Breeders recorded approximately 171 births and close to 450 new animals, including the hatching of 11 matamata turtles, which was described as an event of global breeding significance. Another major investment is planned, a facility combining the theme of four elements: water, fire, air and earth.

Magical Animals in the Park of a Million Lights

From 24 October 2025, on the grounds of Park of a Million Lights, adjacent to the zoo, a seasonal illumination exhibition "Magical Animals" has been operating. Along the new walking route, over 150 light installations depicting animals have been set up, making this time of year an additional reason to visit, regardless of the zoo itself.

Practical information

• Address: ul. Konstantynowska 8/10, 94-303 Łódź, Polesie, within Park na Zdrowiu.
• Getting there: by tram line 43 (connecting among others to Konstantynów Łódzki) or buses 72A, 72B, 76, 80A, 83, 97A and 97B, and in the tourist season by line 100 with historic rolling stock. A Kiss&Ride zone operates for coach tours at the corner of Krzemieniecka and Konstantynowska streets.
• Parking: the zoo recommends several nearby car parks, including a large car park under the ŁKS stadium at Aleja Unii Lubelskiej, about 15 minutes' walk to the entrance, as well as private car parks near the intersection of Konstantynowska and Krzemieniecka streets.
• The zoo is open year-round; on colder days animals stay in eight heated pavilions. Opening hours may vary seasonally; the Orientarium building is usually open 9:00 to 19:00, last entry 18:00, pavilions until 18:45, ticket office until 18:00. A zoo ticket includes entry to the Orientarium building. Check the current timetable on orientarium.lodz.pl before visiting.
• Rules: no dogs, no balloons, no flash photography, bicycles and scooters to be left before entry.
• What to expect: a walk lasting several hours across extensive grounds, a route largely under cover, the Orientarium with an underwater tunnel and ocean zone, large cat enclosures, and in the autumn and winter season, illuminations in Park of a Million Lights.