4(four) tickets to the Indianapolis Zoowhere... YOUR EPIC ADVENTURE STARTS HERE. The mission of the Indianapolis Zoo is to empower people and communities, both locally and globally, to advance animal conservation. The Indianapolis Zoo is the largest privately funded zoo in the country. The organization does not receive any direct tax support and depends on the generosity of its donors. The Zoo, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2014, first opened in 1964 as a childrens zoo in George Washington Park on the citys east side. The 64-acre campus is home to more than 1,600 animals and 23,000 plant specimens and hosts 1 million visitors a year!!