Lion House - Big Cats in a WPA Classic

A stop on San Francisco Zoo: Exhibit by Exhibit, a free self-guided tour.

This long building is the Lion House, built with Works Progress Administration labor and finished around 1940. Its outdoor yards were among the country's early barless exhibits, using moats and walls in place of cage bars.

The zoo kept big cats here for generations, but that era is changing. Its Sumatran tigers were moved to other zoos under a breeding recommendation, and in May 2026 the zoo announced that its two aging lions would go together to another accredited facility, saying the 1940s habitat lacks what older animals need. Until they leave, you may see a lion resting in the yard. The building has been discussed as a future home for giant pandas, though no arrival has been confirmed.

Next door, look for snow leopards in their expanded habitat, opened in 2022. These mountain cats use their long, thick tails for balance and wrap them around themselves for warmth.

Getting here: Walk south from the depot past the Lion Fountain to the front of the Lion House.

Did you know?: A lion's roar can be heard as far as five miles away.

Photo op: Frame the Lion House's long facade from the plaza near the Lion Fountain - it is one of the zoo's best Depression-era buildings.

For kids: Snow leopards cannot roar. Listen for other big-cat sounds instead - they chuff, hiss and mew.

Nearby: A snack cart stands near the Lion Fountain, and restrooms are by Greenie's Conservation Corner and the South Lawn.

More on Wikipedia: Lion · Snow leopard · Works Progress Administration

Lion House - Big Cats in a WPA Classic

Stops on this tour