Tierpark Berlin
Tierpark Berlin operates Europe's largest landscaped zoo, a 160-hectare facility in East Berlin housing over 8,000 animals. Founded in 1955, it serves 2+ million annual visitors with leisure attractions, conservation programs, and educational experiences within the Zoologische Gärten Berlin group.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1955
- HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Tierpark Berlin does
Tierpark Berlin is a zoological park and conservation institution operating on a 160-hectare site in the Friedrichsfelde district of East Berlin, founded in 1955 under Prof. Heinrich Dathe. It is the largest landscaped zoo in Europe, home to more than 8,000 animals representing hundreds of species, with key landmarks including the historic Schloss Friedrichsfelde palace and the 5,000 m² Alfred Brehm building (reopened in 2020 following renovation). The park attracts more than 2 million visitors annually and is part of the broader Zoologische Gärten Berlin group, which collectively draws 5.6 million visitors across Zoo Berlin, Tierpark Berlin, and Aquarium Berlin.
The business operates on a direct-to-consumer leisure and conservation model. Revenue is generated through day tickets (adult ticket €14.50), annual passes, guided tours and animal encounters ("Lieblingstierbesuch"), venue rental at Schloss Friedrichsfelde and the Waldbühne woodland stage, vouchers and merchandise through the HKS-powered online shop (shop.tierpark-berlin.de), and donations processed via FundraisingBox (Wikando GmbH). Corporate partners — HOWOGE, Berliner Volksbank, Mittelbrandenburgische Sparkasse, and Berlin sports clubs (Union Berlin, Hertha BSC, Eisbären Berlin) — provide sponsorship, co-marketing, and indirect distribution into employee and customer programs. A parallel scientific and conservation arm includes management of international studbooks, collaboration with the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), and the Berlin World Wild international conservation scholarship supporting 8+ partner projects globally.
The underlying technology footprint is conventional rather than proprietary: a Typo3-based public website, standard web infrastructure (PHP, CloudFlare, Google Analytics, Cookiebot), the HKS e-commerce platform, FundraisingBox for donations, and a multi-channel social media presence (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn). The organization holds no disclosed patents and uses no proprietary AI/ML systems. Leadership is held by Managing Director Dr. Andreas Knieriem (in role since 2014) under Supervisory Board Chairman Frank Bruckmann, with the entity legally structured as Tierpark Berlin-Friedrichsfelde GmbH, a private limited company wholly within the Zoologische Gärten Berlin conglomerate group.
Tierpark Berlin firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tierpark Berlin
- Legal name
- Tierpark Berlin-Friedrichsfelde GmbH
- Website
- https://tierpark-berlin.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1955
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Tierpark Berlin operates Europe's largest landscaped zoo, a 160-hectare facility in East Berlin housing over 8,000 animals. Founded in 1955, it serves 2+ million annual visitors with leisure attractions, conservation programs, and educational experiences within the Zoologische Gärten Berlin group.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tierpark Berlin industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Zoological Park and Wildlife Conservation
- NAICS
- Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Zoo & Aquarium Parks (Ticketed Wildlife Attractions) (THAJAEAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Destination Theme Parks (Large-Scale, Multi-Attraction Parks) (THAJAEAA), Wildlife Sanctuaries & Rescue Centers (Visitor Operations) (THAAAFAA), Wildlife Viewing & Birdwatching Tours (THAAAEAB)
Keywords
Where Tierpark Berlin is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berlin
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Tierpark Berlin business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Day tickets and annual passes are sold at the gate and through the online shop. This is the primary revenue driver, supported by over 2 million annual visitors to Tierpark Berlin and 5.6 million across all three Zoologische Gärten Berlin facilities.
- Donations & Sponsorship: Tierpark Berlin accepts donations through its FundraisingBox platform, including one-time and recurring donations for species conservation projects. Animal sponsorships allow individuals and companies to support specific animals or species. Legacy bequests are also accepted.
- Experiences & Events: Revenue generated from guided tours, animal encounters ('Lieblingstierbesuch'), behind-the-scenes experiences, and venue rental for private events at Schloss Friedrichsfelde and other park facilities.
- Vouchers & Merchandise: The online shop sells gift vouchers and likely zoo merchandise, providing ancillary revenue.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Day ticket (Erwachsene) |
| Subscription | Annual | Annual pass (Jahreskarte) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Animal encounters (Lieblingstierbesuch) |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Conservation donations |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels10 records
Tierpark Berlin product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tierpark Berlin operates a 160-hectare zoological park in East Berlin housing more than 8,000 animals from hundreds of species, offering visitors day tickets and annual passes for park entry. Beyond admission, the institution sells guided tours, behind-the-scenes animal encounters (Lieblingstierbesuch), animal sponsorships, gift vouchers, and event venue rentals, while also raising funds for international species conservation through its Berlin World Wild program.
Product overview
Tierpark Berlin operates as a zoological park and conservation institution offering visitors access to one of Europe's largest landscaped animal parks spanning 160 hectares. The organization provides a unified platform combining physical visitor experiences (animal habitats, educational exhibits, interactive attractions) with digital services through its website. Core offerings include day tickets and annual passes for park entry, animal sponsorship programs, guided tours and animal experiences, and species conservation donations via the online portal. Additional modules include educational programs through the zoo school and scholarship initiatives, event hosting venues, and retail services. The digital ecosystem enables online ticket sales, donation processing, and visitor information through integrated third-party services for e-commerce and fundraising.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Day Tickets and Annual Passes
- Guided Tours and Animal Experiences (Lieblingstierbesuch)
- Animal Sponsorships
- Berlin World Wild Conservation Scholarship
- Vouchers and Gift Cards
- Schloss Friedrichsfelde Venue Hire
- Event Hosting Services
- Enchanted Forest (Fabelwald)
- Petting Zoo
- Species Conservation Donations
Quantifiable outcome
- Successfully reintroduced European bison born in Berlin into the wild in the Caucasus
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Tierpark Berlin
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Tierpark Berlin technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Tierpark Berlin partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- HOWOGE WohnungsbaugesellschaftcoreHOWOGE is a long-term corporate partner of Tierpark Berlin. The housing company sponsors animal welfare programs including Rothschild giraffe sponsorship (with three calves born in 2024 alone), and funded the holiday program allowing four children to participate free of charge in educational zoo activities. The partnership enhances HOWOGE's ESG and community engagement credentials.
- Berliner VolksbankcoreBerliner Volksbank supports the Tierpark's environmental education through funding the nature discovery trail at the Zoo School. The bank also sponsors daily guided feedings and animal encounters, deepening community engagement and animal education for visitors.
- Mittelbrandenburgische Sparkasse (MBS)minorMBS supports the spectacular free-flight bird show at the Waldbühne woodland stage, featuring bald eagles and birds of prey. The partnership enables weekly flying demonstrations for the public.
- 1. FC Union BerlinminorUnion Berlin maintains an animal friendship partnership with Tierpark Berlin, featuring two pages on the zoo in each issue of the club's stadium magazine. The football club also sponsors red pandas, demonstrating community and conservation commitment.
- Hertha BSCminorHertha BSC has a partnership with Tierpark Berlin, visible through logo placement and joint activities.
- Eisbären BerlinminorEisbären Berlin (ice hockey club) partners with Tierpark Berlin, shown through logo placement on the partnerships page.
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW)coreTierpark Berlin collaborates closely with the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research on scientific studies in behavioral biology and wildlife conservation. Research findings from the zoo benefit both captive animals and their wild counterparts.
- Freie Universität BerlinminorAcademic partnership for research collaboration and educational programs.
- Humboldt-Universität zu BerlinminorAcademic partnership for research collaboration with Berlin's universities.
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin BerlinminorMedical research partnership with Berlin's university hospital.
- CPSG (Conservation Breeding Specialist Group)coreTierpark Berlin participates in the IUCN SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Group, contributing to international species survival planning for endangered species.
- Visit BerlinminorPartnership with Berlin's official tourism marketing organization to promote the zoo as a key visitor destination.
- EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria)coreTierpark Berlin is a member of EAZA, which coordinates European zoo conservation, breeding programs, and best practices.
- WAZA (World Association of Zoos and Aquariums)coreTierpark Berlin is a member of WAZA, the global association setting standards and priorities for zoo conservation and animal welfare worldwide.
- VDZ (Verband der Zoologischer Gärten)coreTierpark Berlin is a member of VDZ, the German zoo association coordinating national conservation and education efforts.
- Species360coreTierpark Berlin participates in Species360, a global database network for wildlife management and conservation data sharing across zoos.
- Dr. Recknagel Gesundheitsservice GmbHminorDr. Recknagel has deepened its cooperation with Zoologische Gärten Berlin AG by providing additional wheelchairs for visitors of Zoo and Tierpark Berlin, expanding the total wheelchair fleet to 13 units.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Tierpark Berlin competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Zoo Leipzig: One of Germany's most-visited zoos, organized into themed worlds with similar immersive habitat design and conservation framing. Comparable annual visitor scale, family-leisure positioning, and membership/donation revenue mix.
- Zoo Zürich: Major Swiss zoo with strong EAZA conservation credentials, large animal-house investments, and ticketed leisure+education business model that mirrors Tierpark Berlin's operating posture.
- Chester Zoo: UK charity-run zoo with comparable visitor scale, conservation field programs, and education-driven operating model, frequently benchmarked alongside large European zoological parks.
- Bronx Zoo (Wildlife Conservation Society): One of the world's largest urban zoos; the WCS parent combines ticketed zoo operations with global field conservation in a model very similar to Zoologische Gärten Berlin.
- ZSL London Zoo: Major UK zoological institution combining ticketed leisure, science (Institute of Zoology), and field conservation—operationally the closest UK analogue to Tierpark's recreation-plus-research-plus-conservation blend.
- Tierpark Hellabrunn (Munich Zoo): Munich's municipal zoo with comparable scale, species breadth, and educational mission. Both are large German landscaped zoos structured as GmbH/association entities, offering annual passes and running active conservation/breeding programs.
- Prague Zoo (Zoologická zahrada Praha): Regularly rated among Europe's top zoos with comparable species breadth, conservation partnerships (EAZA), and family/day-tripper visitor mix from a major Central European capital.
- Zoologischer Garten Berlin (Zoo Berlin): Sister institution under the same Zoologische Gärten Berlin umbrella, located in West Berlin. The pair together attract 5.6M visitors annually, share corporate partnerships, and operate with identical ticketing, donation, and conservation models—making it the closest functionally comparable peer.
- Tiergarten Schönbrunn (Vienna Zoo): The world's oldest zoo with a strong conservation, education, and ticketed-attraction model. Comparable European tier-one zoological park competing for similar inbound tourism and donor audiences.
Broad incumbents
- San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance: Largest US zoological organization with a global conservation mandate and Safari Park concept. Operates at materially greater scale and geographic breadth than Tierpark, but the recreation-plus-conservation-plus-research blend is directly comparable.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Tierpark Berlin social profiles
Digital presenceTierpark Berlin compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Tierpark Berlin financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tierpark Berlin leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Tierpark Berlin funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tierpark Berlin M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Tierpark Berlin
What does Tierpark Berlin do?
Tierpark Berlin operates a 160-hectare zoological park in East Berlin housing more than 8,000 animals from hundreds of species, offering visitors day tickets and annual passes for park entry. Beyond admission, the institution sells guided tours, behind-the-scenes animal encounters (Lieblingstierbesuch), animal sponsorships, gift vouchers, and event venue rentals, while also raising funds for international species conservation through its Berlin World Wild program.
Is Tierpark Berlin a public or private company?
Tierpark Berlin is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Tierpark Berlin founded?
Tierpark Berlin was founded in 1955. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Tierpark Berlin based?
Tierpark Berlin is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Tierpark Berlin make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are donations & Sponsorship, experiences & Events and vouchers & Merchandise.
Who are Tierpark Berlin's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Zoo Leipzig, Zoo Zürich, Chester Zoo, Bronx Zoo (Wildlife Conservation Society), ZSL London Zoo, Tierpark Hellabrunn (Munich Zoo), Prague Zoo (Zoologická zahrada Praha), Zoologischer Garten Berlin (Zoo Berlin) and Tiergarten Schönbrunn (Vienna Zoo). San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Tierpark Berlin have an API?
No public API is recorded for Tierpark Berlin.
What industry is Tierpark Berlin in?
Tierpark Berlin's product category is Zoological Park and Wildlife Conservation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJAEAE, Zoo & Aquarium Parks (Ticketed Wildlife Attractions), with a secondary code of THAJAEAA, Destination Theme Parks (Large-Scale, Multi-Attraction Parks). Its NAICS code is 71213 and its SIC code is 7990.