Oregon Zoo buys 3.4-acre site from former Children's Museum

The Oregon Zoo now controls an additional 3.4 acres of land in Washington Park. The property, purchased from the city, previously housed the Portland Children’s Museum and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. The zoo announced the deal on Wednesday, marking the first major expansion of its physical boundaries in decades.

For visitors and staff, the change provides immediate flexibility in how the zoo manages its space. The current campus covers 64 acres, but geologic and environmental factors limit usable ground to roughly 43 acres. By acquiring the adjacent site, the zoo can move administrative offices and support services off the main grounds. This move frees up usable space within the existing footprint for animal habitats and guest areas without requiring new construction in sensitive zones.

The building on the new lot has sat empty since June 2021. It hosted the Portland Children’s Museum for 20 years and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry for more than 30 years before that. The structure currently has boarded windows and closed play areas. The City of Portland’s 2018 Washington Park master plan had marked the building for demolition due to significant structural issues. The zoo plans to use the land rather than tear down the structure, at least in the short term.

Heidi Rahn, the Oregon Zoo director, stated that the acquisition continues the legacy of curiosity and imagination that the previous institutions provided. She noted that the zoo has operated at its current location since 1959. Over the past 65 years, the organization improved habitats and facilities but remained constrained by physical limitations. Rahn described the new land as a chance to dream a little bigger.

No specific architectural plans or construction timelines have been established yet. The zoo will evaluate how the site can support conservation, education, and animal well-being. The primary initial benefit is operational: moving non-public functions to the new lot allows the zoo to maximize the utility of its existing 43 usable acres.

The purchase was finalized as part of the zoo's implementation of its new campus plan. The organization said the additional property provides a stronger foundation for future projects focused on community engagement and conservation. The land is adjacent to the current Washington Park campus, creating a contiguous block of zoo-controlled space for the first time since the mid-20th century.