New $66 Million Addition to Brookfield Zoo Chicago, James & Elizabeth Bramsen Tropical Forests, opens to the Public on July 11 as One of Nation’s Largest Primate Habitats, Redefining Standards for Modern Zoo Design
 © Brookfield Zoo Chicago |
Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s historic new James & Elizabeth Bramsen Tropical Forests is ready for its first public entry tomorrow, marking the official completion of the most ambitious project in the Zoo’s history. The three-acre, $66 million project is one of the nation’s largest primate habitats with four awe-inspiring outdoor spaces for great apes and monkeys that sets a new benchmark for U.S. accredited zoos with its focus on primate care and conservation. The Zoo celebrated the project’s completion today with a ceremonial ribbon cutting alongside its Board of Trustees, donors and civic leaders.
Bramsen Tropical Forests provides guests with an immersive experience across four lush rainforest environments inspired by Africa, Asia and South America to encounter western lowland gorillas, Bornean orangutans, white-cheeked gibbons and several species of monkeys. This includes endangered spider monkeys rescued from wildlife trafficking and the first bachelor gorilla group in the Zoo’s history, offering guests a unique opportunity to understand gorilla social structures in a new way and amplifying the Zoo’s mission to inspire conservation leadership by connecting people with wildlife and nature.
 © Brookfield Zoo Chicago |
“From the very beginning, this project was guided by science and with one priority—what’s best for the animals in our care,” said Dr. Michael Adkesson, president and CEO of Brookfield Zoo Chicago. “Every space was custom designed to encourage natural behaviors of each species they’re made for, from enrichment features that promote foraging for ground-dwelling gorillas to canopy-inspired vertical space where monkeys can swing and explore. It’s all about delivering the highest standard of care in a truly state-of-the-art environment. We hope that seeing primates thrive in these dynamic habitats will connect our guests to wildlife in a powerful way—one that inspires action and a deeper commitment to conservation.”
Located alongside Tropic World on the west side of the Zoo’s Roosevelt Fountain, Bramsen Tropical Forests is more than panoramic viewing of primates; it’s a central hub for primate care and conservation, raising awareness for the nearly two-thirds of all primate species threatened with extinction. Guests are invited to step into the role of conservation scientists through dynamic, hands-on exploration. They can observe animal behaviors with the same curiosity and techniques used by field researchers and engage with tactile elements that offer deeper understanding of the animals under the Zoo’s care. This includes a life-sized bronze sculpture of a gorilla’s nose—created from a 3D scan of one of the western lowland gorillas at Brookfield Zoo Chicago—to demonstrate how scientists identify individual gorillas in the wild by their unique nasal patterns.
 © Brookfield Zoo Chicago |
Brookfield Zoo Chicago is a global leader in primate care, veterinary science, conservation and education, recognized for its award-winning habitat design and pioneering welfare tools adopted across the zoo community. Its groundbreaking contributions have advanced primate wellbeing worldwide. Bramsen Tropical Forests continues this legacy at every corner of its new spaces—from gardens supporting local pollinators and stormwater run-off to artwork that directly helps animals in Africa by transforming harmful snare wire removed from savannahs into impactful pieces of art. Guests are invited to contribute to conservation efforts by recycling old cell phones at the Eco-Cell drop-off station inside the Gorilla Conservation Center, helping reduce demand for coltan—a mineral mined in gorilla habitats. Meanwhile, aspiring conservation leaders can gain deeper understanding of wildlife conservation through programming at the cutting-edge hub for learning created as a new home for the King Conservation Leadership Academy.
Completed over the course of two and a half years, the opening of Bramsen Tropical Forests marks a major milestone in Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s history. It was the largest project in the Zoo’s history and successfully concludes phase one of the Zoo’s transformational Next Century Plan, unveiled last year.
 © Brookfield Zoo Chicago |
“The opening of Bramsen Tropical Forests is a defining moment for our institution and a major step forward in our Next Century Plan,” said Cherryl Thomas, chair of the Chicago Zoological Society/Brookfield Zoo Chicago Board of Trustees. “The completion of this vibrant new addition to the Zoo signals the beginning of an exciting new era. As we approach our 100th anniversary, this project reflects our deep commitment to innovation, animal care, conservation and creating meaningful learning experiences for our guests.”
Twenty partners and more than 18,000 workers collaborated to bring the vision to life, with key contributions from Cullen Construction Management, Goettsch Partners, Pepper Construction and Stantec. Their collective expertise helped deliver an innovative, mission-driven space that sets a new standard for modern zoo design and sustainability while also having tremendous economic impact: $69 million generated in labor income, $182 million contributed in economic activity and $24 million generated in combined federal, state and county tax revenues.
Bramsen Tropical Forests was made possible through the generosity of long-standing supporters James and Elizabeth Bramsen, Robert and Emily King, Doris K. Christopher and Kelley C. Schueler. Additional support was provided in cooperation with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity/Illinois Office of Tourism and made possible in part by funding provided by the American Rescue Plan Act through Cook County and the Forest Preserves of Cook County.
In addition to Zoo supporters and leadership like Thomas and Adkesson, government officials in attendance for the ribbon cutting event included, among others: Illinois Senate President Don Harmon; Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch; State Senator Javier Cervantes; State Representative Lisa Hernandez; Cook County Commissioners Frank Aguilar, Alma Anaya, John Daley, Bridget Degnen, Kevin Morrison and Jessica Vasquez; Chicago Alderman Anthony Quezada; Riverside President Doug Pollock; and Forest Preserves of Cook County Interim General Superintendent Eileen Figel.
More information about Bramsen Tropical Forests, including timed-entry tickets and the grand opening weekend celebration, is available at brookfieldzoo.org/tropicalforests
 © Brookfield Zoo Chicago |
