Zoo Acquires Three Acres for Expansion

The Oregon Zoo purchased a 3.4-acre parcel adjacent to its Washington Park campus on Wednesday. The property previously housed the Portland Children's Museum and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. Zoo director Heidi Rahn stated that the acquisition provides the institution with greater flexibility to implement its new campus plan.

The site has stood empty since the museums closed in June 2021. It served as the home for the Portland Children's Museum for 20 years and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry for more than 30 years before that. The building currently features boarded-up windows and closed play areas. The City of Portland identified the structure for demolition in its 2018 Washington Park master plan due to structural issues.

Rahn indicated that the zoo intends to repurpose the space to support conservation, education, and animal well-being. One potential strategy involves relocating administrative functions and support services to the new site. This move would free up usable land within the current 64-acre campus. The zoo has operated from this location since 1959, but geologic and environmental factors limit the usable area to approximately 43 acres.

The purchase allows the zoo to address physical limitations that have constrained its development over the past six decades. Rahn noted that the institution has improved habitats and facilities but remained restricted by its footprint. She described the new land as an opportunity to expand beyond those constraints. No specific construction plans or timelines have been announced yet.

The Oregon Zoo cited a stronger foundation for future community-focused projects as a benefit of the deal. Rahn acknowledged the history of the site, noting that the former museums inspired curiosity for generations of local children. The zoo aims to continue that legacy while adapting the land for its current operational needs.