Each week, the Archives features a woman who has been a groundbreaker at the Smithsonian, past or present, in a series titled Wonderful Women Wednesday.
Barbara Bingham was an animal caretaker leader at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo from 1975 to 1984. She managed the panda and hoofed stocked mammal programs.
As the lead keeper for the pandas, Bingham often spoke with the media and was even featured on an episode of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.
At the Zoo, Bingham supervised other keepers, fed the animals, and cleaned enclosures. She was also responsible for transporting large animals. In 1981, Bingham accompanied giant panda Chia-Chia back home to London after an unsuccessful mating season. Additionally, she escorted reindeer to the White House every year for the Pageant of Peace.
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Related Resources
- “The Panda Person,” by Brenda Himelfarb, October 10, 2017, Vail Daily
- “Mr. Rogers at the Zoo,” by Mary Markey, The Bigger Picture, Smithsonian Institution Archives
