In 1889, the zoo welcomed its first animals. Due to the great interest shown by the public, the management decided to open it to visitors. The first zookeeper, Ernst Hubline, was a sculptor and carefully taxidermied the deceased animals. This marked the beginning of what is now the Natural History Museum. By 1896, the zoo was home to 1,384 animals representing 266 species. In 1984, the zoo was relocated to its current site in Gorni Lozenets.
