Artis

Artis, formally Natura Artis Magistra, is the oldest zoo in the Netherlands, founded in 1838 by three Amsterdam citizens in the Plantage district. Across roughly 14 hectares it houses some 700 species, including lions, giraffes and an aquarium with an underwater cross-section of an Amsterdam canal. Surviving from its early days are the neoclassical animal houses, the 1882 aquarium building and a still-active planetarium. A separate highlight is Micropia, the only museum in the world dedicated to microorganisms. Artis doubles as a city park; many locals hold annual passes and use it for lunch breaks.