Classical city zoos experience a true renaissance. Eclectic and ethnographically inspired buildings tell a story about the relationships between mankind and wildlife that cannot be matched by any other educational tool. Zoos are eminently lieux de memoires and connect generations. The animals in historical zoos of the great cities of the world are appealing to the new generation in the same way as they have been to their great-grandparents. Restoring historical sightlines and atmosphere and simultaneously creating spaces for animals suiting their welfare requirements is a challenge in which immersion effects can play an important role. Erik van Vliet was involved in, among others, the historical zoos of Antwerp, Budapest, Kaliningrad, Moscow, Riga, and Rome.