Artis becomes world’s first zoo to earn Urban Night Sky certificate

The Artis Zoo in Amsterdam has become the first zoo in the world to receive the “Urban Night Sky Place” certificate. The award acknowledges Artis’s efforts to reduce light pollution in the park, recognizing that darkness plays an important role in supporting the animals’ sleep and natural biological cycles.

Artis notes that it is the only site in the heart of a European capital to be awarded the certificate. “That the night sky is being protected—and its importance explained to a broad audience, in a zoo located right in the brightly lit city of Amsterdam, is of enormous value,” said a spokesperson for DarkSky International.

The group presented the award to the Amsterdam Zoo. DarkSky International visits parks and other sites around the world that embrace nocturnal darkness.

“Switching off the lights helps restore nature’s rhythm. This certificate demonstrates that even in the middle of a bustling city, the night can be preserved,” Artis explains.

“Alongside the Red Light District, Amsterdam now also has a 'No Light District.' Viewed from the sky at night, the city glows with countless lights, except for one remarkable dark area: Artis.” The zoo also announced plans to organize night events where visitors can experience the darkness and see the activities of the nocturnal animals.

According to the Atlas of the Living Environment, the Netherlands ranks among the most brightly lit countries globally, with the Randstad region standing out for its intense nighttime illumination. The northern portions of the Netherlands are much darker, which is why the country’s two Dark Sky Parks, Nationaal Park Lauwersmeer and the Boschplaat on Terschelling, are situated there.