ZSL and London Zoo spotlight 200 years of wildlife conservation with creative collaboration with Transport for London.
London Zoo’s iconic giraffes are the focus of a bold new poster commissioned by London Transport Museum and Transport for London (TfL), rolling out across London Underground stations this month as POC Member, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) the conservation charity behind the zoo, begins celebrations marking its 200th anniversary.
The artwork spotlights the Zoo’s historic Giraffe House – the oldest building at London Zoo still used for its original purpose. Designed in 1836 by Decimus Burton, the purpose-built structure was the first of its kind and went on to influence giraffe house design worldwide. Visible from the road and beloved by visitors and passers-by alike, it remains one of the Zoo’s most recognisable landmarks.
As the world’s oldest scientific zoo, London Zoo has spent two centuries advancing conservation science and inspiring public engagement with wildlife. The new poster celebrates that enduring mission, reflecting ZSL’s ongoing commitment to connecting people with nature through creativity, education and as well as through product, including its licensed programme which was spotlighted at the end of last year both at the POC Conference and in the POC magazine.
The poster marks the final release in London Transport Museum and TfL’s Great Days Out series, which has celebrated some of the capital’s most significant cultural destinations, including Dulwich Picture Gallery, the Royal Albert Hall and London Transport Museum itself.
London Zoo has featured in more than 80 Underground and London Transport posters since 1908, making it one of the most enduring subjects in the network’s visual history. From early pictorial works encouraging travel by train, tram and bus, to iconic designs featuring penguins, tigers and modernist motifs, the Zoo has played a central role in the evolution of transport poster art.
Created by award-winning contemporary artist Eliza Southwood, the new giraffe-led artwork signals a return to commissioning contemporary artists for TfL travel posters, continuing a legacy championed by Frank Pick – the visionary behind the Underground’s iconic design identity.
Kathryn England, ZSL’s CEO, said: “ZSL’s 200th anniversary marks two centuries of advancing science and animal care but also two hundred years of inspiring a love and wonder for the animal kingdom.
“London Zoo’s longstanding presence on London Underground posters – from art deco penguins to modernist tigers in the 70s – is a testament to the love for wildlife among Londoners and tourists to our capital city that we have helped to inspire, and it is just so exciting to see our giraffes and their iconic home immortalised in this new series.”
Emma Strain, customer director at Transport for London, said: “The Tube, like London Zoo, has a rich history in London, one that has long been celebrated through artwork and design and it is wonderful to be joining them in celebrating the 200th year of ZSL, the global conservation charity behind the conservation zoo, through this delightful poster on our network.
“For more than 160 years, people have used the Tube to travel all over the capital to great attractions like London Zoo so they can learn about the wonders of the world, great and small, and Eliza Southwood’s artwork, like the penguins featured over 100 years ago, is a wonderful way to show the great sights to be found after a journey on our network.”
