Dentzel Carousel - Older Than the Zoo

Photo: BrokenSphere, CC BY 3.0 (cropped)

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

Hear the music? This carousel was built in 1921 by William H. Dentzel, whose Philadelphia family firm was one of the great American carousel makers. It came here in 1925, four years before the zoo opened, to spin for children at the Fleishhacker playground beside the giant saltwater pool.

Dentzel carvers were known for lifelike animals with flowing manes and careful detail. Today riders can choose a horse, a cat, a rabbit or a giraffe among the hand-carved figures. Officially the Eugene Friend Dentzel Carousel, it was restored in 2000 and upgraded in 2006, and it remains one of the zoo's favorite rides.

Rides cost a few dollars, and an adult may ride free standing beside a paying child. Check the sign for today's hours. The Little Puffer steam train, another survivor of the playground years, waits farther east on this loop.

Getting here: From the lemurs, walk north past Leaping Lemur Cafe to the round carousel building beside the Exploration Zone.

Did you know?: The carousel arrived in 1925, four years before the first zoo animals, so it has been on this ground longer than the zoo itself.

Photo op: Stand outside the rail as the carousel turns and use burst mode to catch a rider on a carved giraffe.

For kids: Walk around before you ride and pick your animal. Which one looks the fastest?

Nearby: Leaping Lemur Cafe and restrooms are a short walk south; Cafe Playfield, with coffee and snacks, is just east by the playground.

More on Wikipedia: Gustav Dentzel · Fleishhacker Pool

Dentzel Carousel - Older Than the Zoo

Stops on this tour