For anyone thinking how vibrant and crystal clear the picture of Queen Victoria is, it should be pointed out that in keeping with the Victorian theme of the building, Queen Victoria impersonator Sylvia Strange attended the launch, alongside an impersonator playing her lady-in-waiting. The Queen did however visit the zoo several times during her reign. She became the patroness of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) in 1837.

The pavilion took a year to restore and is named after ZSL patron David Blackburn who agreed to underwrite the costs.