Previously Served As Churchill Tribute
A piece of the 1964-65 World’s Fair lives on at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Queens Zoo.
The geodesic dome that houses the zoo’s aviary was an original structure on display during the historic exposition held in Flushing Meadows Corona Park 50 years ago this month.
The dome first served as the Winston Churchill Pavilion during the 1964-65 World’s Fair. At the close of the fair, the dome was dismantled and placed in storage for a few years.
It wasn’t until 1968, when Robert Moses commissioned for a zoo to be built on the old fair grounds, that the dome would be rebuilt and repurposed, becoming the aviary it is today.
“Over the years, I can’t tell you how many people have related their memories of the ’64 World’s fair to me when they see the aviary,” said Scott Silver, animal curator and director of the Queens Zoo. “Something about its iconic shape seems to trigger memories about the fair, and I have heard many wonderful stories about it as a result.”
The aviary is now home to many species of birds native to North and South America, including parrots, cattle egrets, pintail ducks, and more. In the warmer months, macaws, a species of parrot, join the other birds in the aviary. Some of the macaw species on exhibit in the aviary include blue and gold macaws, scarlet macaws, and hyacinth macaws-the world’s largest parrots.
The aviary has undergone several internal changes since the Queens Zoo came under the management of the Wildlife Conservation Society in 1992. Streams, elevated pools, and a waterfall have been added to better replicate a natural forest habitat. The winding walkway that ascends from the forest floor to the treetops at its apex has also been refurbished.
The geodesic dome was made famous by architect and designer Buckminster Fuller. It was hailed as one of the lightest, strongest, and most cost-effective structures ever conceived.
Despite being one of the largest single-layer structures of its time, standing at 175-feet-wide, it took only about a week to erect.
Though the aviary is the only structure on the Queens Zoo’s grounds that was used during the 1964-65 World’s Fair, the zoo is surrounded by several landmarks from the fair, including the Unisphere, observation towers and the New York State Pavilion.
The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Queens Zoo is open every day of the year from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, and 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekends through October. Admission is charged. The Queens Zoo is located at 53-51 111th St. in Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
For further information, call 1- 718-271-1500 or visit www.wcs.org.
