See

Paramaribo Zoo

Establishing a zoo was an idea of Prime Minister Pengel in the 1960s. Awaiting the construction of the zoo, he started collecting animals in his own backyard, until the zoo was opened in 1972. The number of animals and (subsequently) of visitors declined over the following decades, however, leaving the zoo in poor state. Starting in 2003 it engaged in a cooperation with Dutch Diergaarde Blijdorp in Rotterdam, which helped raise funds to restore the place. The zoo has regained its popularity. Its collection of animals includes mostly regional species, among which are many indigenous monkeys, jaguars, caimans, many tropical birds and a petting zoo. There's also a nice playground for kids.

family

Address: Letitia Vriesdelaan
Hours: daily 09:00-18:00
Price: SRD10
Website: paramaribozoo.com (opens in a new tab)

Directions Suggest a nearby place

Listing from Wikivoyage: Paramaribo, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

Close by

Do
Thalia theater
Surinamese theater company
The Suriname theater company was founded in 1837 and is the oldest theater company of the Caribbean. The Thalia theater building was opened in 1840, but after its 2011 renovation it now seats 500.
See
St. Peter and Paul Cathedral
This Roman Catholic cathedral is one of the biggest wooden structures on the entire American continent. Building started in 1883 and the church was consecrated two years later. The towers were not finished before 1901 though, and the characteristic yellow and grey painting of the outside was done only in 1926. The design of the church was inspired by the Redemptorist church in Roosendaal and the (then new) Basilica and Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Boston, while the interior, carried out in unpainted cedar wood, was a Surinamese design. Poor restoration efforts were undertaken in the late 1970s, leaving the building in need of new repairs shortly after. Finally, termite damage and severe tilting led to the closure of the cathedral in 1989 for safety reasons. The Vatican provided some funds for initial repairs in the mid 1990s and after fundraising efforts and a large EU grant, thorough restorations were carried out between 2007 and 2010. The cathedral was re-opened for the public in that year. Only the large organ, of which most of the pipes had been stolen, is still a work in progress.
Closed · opens 8 am tomorrow
See
Palmentuin (Palm Gardens)
The Palm garden, a small park filled with king palms behind the Presidential Palace, was part of the original city plans of Cornelis van Aerssen van Sommelsdijck, the first Dutch governor. He opened the garden for public in 1685, but was murdered only three years later, after which the property was closed again. Not until the early 20th century was the Palm Garden re-opened. In 2009 it was restored with funds from UNESCO. It has a small play ground now, some statues and benches to hang out on, making it a pleasant, shady place on a hot day. Except on holidays, when the place comes to life with food stalls and such, the garden is best avoided after sundown for the lighting is poor and the place attracts less friendly crowds.
See
Numismatic Museum
Highlight of this small museum is a 1679 copper Parrot coin. You'll probably need to have a real interest in the history of money to fully appreciate the collection on display, but there's no admission fee and walking in for a quick glance can't hurt. The museum is part of the Bank of Suriname, and it's housed in one of the nice colonial building. It holds almost every legal currency used in Suriname since the late 17th century.
Mon-Fri 08:00-14:00Free