it became harder and harder to maintain good care of the animals - finally in the 1940s, the zoo was forced to shut its doors, though it was only missing from the public eye until 1945, when president getúlio vargas inaugurated another zoo, in its new and now present-day location in são cristóvão.  

the zoological garden is now located at the quinta da boa vista (park/ farm of the nice view), a public area of great historical importance.

this green oasis was originally a section of the gardens of the são cristóvão palace, the residence of the emperors of brazil during the 19th century.

currently, the former residential palace hosts the national museum - an important cultural landmark in rio, home to rich studies of natural history, anthropology, and archaeology.