One of the oldest and largest zoos in China, located in the northwest of the city near the Paleozoological Museum. The main draw is the Giant Panda exhibit — Beijing Zoo has had giant pandas since 1957 and typically holds six to eight animals, a larger collection than most zoos outside Chengdu. The pandas are reliably visible, usually eating bamboo with characteristic indifference to the visitors photographing them.
Beyond pandas, the zoo has good collections of golden monkeys, Manchurian tigers, and north China leopards. The overall facilities are serviceable but not modern by international standards. Entry is cheap and the zoo is a reasonable half-day for families with younger children, particularly combined with the adjacent Paleozoological Museum.