More than a century after its first spin, The Paul Titus Carousel at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium has been named one of USA Today’s Top 10 Most Unique Carousels in the U.S., a distinction voted on by editors and readers nationwide.

Just inside the zoo’s front gates, guests are invited to step aboard and choose from nearly three dozen whimsical animals, including a tapir, walrus, tiger, polar bear, zebra, pig, horses, and even a colorful Northwest slug. With cozy sleds and wheelchair-accessible chariots, it’s a ride everyone can enjoy.

Wherever your imagination takes you, this carousel offers a journey into history. Originally built in 1917 by master carousel maker C.W. Parker, the two-row wooden carousel once traveled from fair to fair across the Midwest. By the 1990s, however, its glory had faded. Discovered in a Montana antique store, it stood silent, its animals gone and only its frame remaining.

That’s when Tacoma businessman Keith Stone saw what others didn’t: possibility. He donated the carousel to the Washington Antique Carousel Society and Friends, sparking a years-long labor of love. Volunteers restored its structure, hand-carved new animals, and brought each mirror, mural, and panel back to life.

The carousel is named in honor of the late Paul Titus, a Tacoma auto broker and former member of The Zoo Society board. His widow generously contributed a significant portion of the $1.4 million needed for the project. The Zoo Society, a nonprofit organization that supports the Zoo, led the fundraising efforts for both the carousel and the pavilion that now houses it. In 2006, the carousel reopened at its new home at Point Defiance Zoo.

Ride Info: Tickets are $4 per ride, or $2 for Zoo members, available during regular Zoo hours. Riders must be 42 inches tall to ride alone.