The next year was the official opening for the Hirschgarten an der Trotzenburg, and the first zookeeper, Carl Lange, was employed to take care of the different animals.

Named after the originator of the theory of biological evolution by natural selection, Charles Darwin, Darwineum was opened on 8 September 2012.

This living museum, which covers 20,000 m2, and contains over 80 species of animals, was the largest building project throughout Rostock Zoo history, at a cost of more than 28 million Euro.

In two interactive expositions is biological diversity on earth exposed, as well as the evolution behind it, starting with the Big Bang Theory and the creation of the Observable Universe.

Theme Boxes with living fossils, aquarium with corals, seahorses and Germany's largest circular tank for jellyfish.