This zoological park was established on November 29, 1921 to commemorate the arrival of the Prince of Wales to Lucknow. Its establishment was conceived by the then Governor Sir Harcourt Butler. The complex was established in the 18th century by Nawab Nasiruddin Haider, the then Nawab of Awadh as a mango orchard. At that time it was known as Banarasi Bagh. Even today, in the colloquial language, the locals call it Banarasi Bagh. In the evening by the Nawabs, as the evening of Awadh used to be famous, a Baradari was built to sit here, which is still situated in the middle of the zoological garden with all its grandeur and dignity.
In the year 2001, the zoological park was changed from “Prince of Wales Zoological Gardens Trust” to Lucknow Zoological Garden. In the year 2015 the zoological park was changed from “Lucknow Zoological Garden” to “Nawab Wajid Ali Shah Zoological Garden, Lucknow”.