Right next to Central Station, Antwerp Zoo is one of the oldest in the world (founded 1843) and one of the most architecturally interesting. The original enclosures — including an Egyptian Temple built for the elephants and a Moorish Palace for the giraffes — are protected monuments and worth seeing in their own right. The zoo has been modernised in waves; some of the older display spaces have been replaced with larger natural enclosures.
Highlights include gorillas, white tigers, okapis, and the breeding programmes for endangered species. Allow three to four hours. The location next to the station makes it an easy first stop in the city; combined tickets with the affiliated Planckendael safari park outside the city are good value for a longer day.