A Room with a ZOO has been bringing people together socially and professionally since 1843. The zoo and the venue have a legacy of connection. They have always been a gathering place with a cultural function. Throughout history the unique building has functioned as a concert hall, as a museum and during the war in 1915 as a movie theatre, called Cine Zoology.

During the bombing of the Central Station a lot of the buildings got severely damaged. And although the First World War caused a lot of damage to the Antwerp ZOO, Michel L'Hoëst, the director at that time started immediately after the war to restore buildings and enlarge the animal capacity. In 1921 the damaged patrimonium was restored and there were already more animals than there had been before the war. 

You can feel the rich history in rooms such as the the Darwin Hall, the Stanley Room, the Marble Hall and the Winter Garden. And while strolling through the zoo, you will also notice the beautiful Egyptian and Moorish Temple, the Latteria, the Bird House that dates back to 1893 and many more. These are all characteristic of the historic zoo. The Queen Elisabeth Hall was opened in 1960 by Queen Elisabeth herself. This concert hall and hall for plenary sessions was rebuilt in 2016. On the walls of the ZOOgallery, you can still spot the original wall paintings. 

When attending an event at A Room with a ZOO, you feel part of a living and breathing monument with a glorious history.