In 1978, the zoo closed to embark upon a two-year upgrade project. 1980 marked the rebirth of the zoo; it reopened with a new Nature Center, a Polar bear exhibit, a boardwalk through a native wetlands area and a North American bison exhibit. And as they say, the rest is history. The current, vibrant state of Roger Williams Park Zoo is due to the hard work, persistence, and cooperation of both public and private sector, as well as the general public, for whom this zoo exists.
