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Origin and history

The Jardin d'acclimation, located in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, was created in 1860 on the initiative of the Imperial Zoological Society of Acclimatation, founded in 1854 by the zoologist Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire. This project aimed to acclimatize exotic animal species for agricultural, commercial or recreational uses. The park, designed by architect Gabriel Davioud and landscape architect Jean-Pierre Barillet-Deschamps, initially extended 19 hectares to the edge of the Bois de Boulogne. From its opening, it housed rare animals such as giraffes, kangaroos and banana trees, as well as an aquarium opened in 1861.

Between 1870 and 1930, the garden moved to a leisure park while maintaining an educational dimension, with conferences, concerts and sporting attractions. During the 1870 war, his animals were slaughtered to feed besieged Parisians. The park was restored in 1872 and was gradually restored thanks to donations, like two elephants offered by the king of Italy. However, since the 1877s he became infamous for his "human zoos", where ethnic groups, mainly Africans, were displayed as curiosities, fuelling debates about racism and colonialism.

From 1877 to 1931, the Jardin d'acclimation organized 22 exhibitions of human beings, presented as "wild" behind bars, alongside exotic animals. These exhibitions, often fatal to participants (32 deaths recorded), were used to legitimize racial theories and colonial order. In 2013, a commemorative plaque was affixed to recall these practices. From the 1950s, the park turned into a family space, losing its exotic animals to rides, a Guignol theatre and playgrounds.

In 1984, Bernard Arnault's LVMH group bought the garden concession, then managed by the SARL Maillot Maurice-Barrès. Under his direction, the park underwent major renovations, notably in 2017-2018, with a redevelopment of 60 million euros to modernize the attractions in a steampunk style and restore the historic path of Barillet-Deschamps. Today, the Acclimation Garden attracts nearly 2 million visitors a year, mixing Napoleonic heritage, family recreation and controversial memory.

The park is home to iconic attractions such as the Petit train (1878), France's first narrow track train, or the Enchanted River (1926). Since 2018, it has been offering modern rides (Russian mountains, interactive cinema) and natural spaces (farm, aviary, vegetable garden). The Louis-Vuitton Foundation, built in 2014 by Frank Gehry on the former bowling site, symbolizes its contemporary anchor. Despite its transformations, the garden remains a testament to the scientific ambitions of the 19th century and societal developments.

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