The past months I have been writing about what I thought were the must see exhibits on the continent. This means I have spent quite some time thinking about what makes an exhibit must see. But defining what exactly makes an exhibit unique or give a wow-effect can be tricky. As the final entry of this thread, I would like to share my thoughts on what a good exhibit should offer and what the options are to get there.
Part I: the need for must-see exhibits
Are what we as zoo enthusiasts see as must see exhibits essential for a zoo to survive? Probably not, I am fully aware that zoo enthusiasts are not the prime target of any zoo. This means that the survival of pretty much every zoo depends on visiting laymen, aka the regular zoo visitor. Even mediocre to atrocious zoos get great reviews from many guests online and some of the most successful zoos hardly have any great exhibits. This means that zoo visitors quite often do not have a very good idea of what a good exhibit looks like from a welfare, architect, safety or other perspective. That does not mean that a must see exhibit is not appreciated and it can be a game changer for a zoo. The tropical halls of Burgers’ Bush, Masoala and Gondwanaland show that. They increased attendance and name recognition for decades and remain showpieces for these zoos.
Even if must see exhibits would not be essential for survival, I think zoos have the responsibility to up their game. I would argue though that zoos as professional institutions have the task of not only engaging the average zoo visitor, but offer something unique that might initially only be appreciated by the zoo enthusiast or zoo professional. That can be both from a collection or a design principle. Having a zoo with a small collection and only ABC species, like the current Dublin Zoo, is in a way the same as having an art museum with only the grand masters and nothing else. That might bring in the tourist revenue, but having only the famous artwork is a missed chance to show more unknown contemporaries or tell surprising stories. Fortunately most museums seem to show a good deal more than their few starpieces. When I visited the Louvre, I was not that impressed by the Mona Lisa, I came away with a wholly different appreciation of the ancient Egyptians and Persians though. That was not what I expected to take away from there, but it was most entertaining. A good zoo can be the same in that they draw people in with elephants and polar bears, but leave them impressed by unlikely stars such as red ruffed lemurs, chameleons or fiddler crabs. Zoos have as a prime function in an ever less natural world to instil love for nature to their visitors. To quote Baba Dioum:
“In the end, we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand and we will understand only what we are taught.”
This means that zoos need a diverse collection to remain relevant and deliver unexpected experiences with underappreciated animals. This does not necessarily mean that zoos need a large collection like Berlin or Prague, even though research shows that the most species rich zoos are in general also the most visited ones (though this could be a chicken - egg discussion). Some of the most stunning zoos don’t have very large collections, but they are balanced between crowd pleasers and the unknown. Burgers’ Zoo has less than 80 separate exhibits and Bioparc Doue-la-Fontaine has around 40 and both have diverse, if relatively small, collections that highlight unlikely stars. Which means that you need to choose wisely what you highlight and how you do it. Presenting an animal well in a must see exhibit can be a prime way to engage the general public and as this is a thread about exhibits, I will focus on that option alone.
Part II: Defining a must see exhibit
Before we get to some ways to make an exhibit must see, it is first good to better define “must see”. To do that, I have created a simple graph with on the x-axis the “level” of the zoo visitor, from joe average to the most intense zoo enthusiast or zoo professional (two separate groups I have lumped here for convenience). Not every zoo enthusiast or average visitor is the same and in practice there is a whole gradient in knowledge/interests, which this axis does represent. On the y-axis there is the level of engagement, from expected to unexpected, that an exhibit elicits from a visitor. The distinction expected / unexpected is not so much based on what visitors expect to see at a certain exhibit, but rather based on the average level of engagement a given exhibit normally gives. So an average sea lion pool with give the expected level of engagement, whereas an extremely innovative and good exhibit would give unexpected levels of engagement. Some exhibits will be obvious crowd pleasers just because of the species they held. Just look at the average crowd near any sea lion exhibit, compared to the average zebra finch aviary. What makes an exhibit really must see is (1) if it does a tremendous job with engaging the average public more than expected with a popular species OR (2) if it gets them engaged with a species they did not expect, so the top left and top right of the graph below. This thread has focused on the top right quadrant which are the exhibits that are wow for the zoo enthusiast, but I would argue that a really good must see exhibit should be wow to both the average visitor as to the enthusiast and engage both groups
View attachment 559501
The problem with getting people, both average visitors as well as zoo enthusiasts more engaged than expected, is that you have to lure them in (if you cannot knock them out with one punch a la the Masoala tree top view). This is why many must see exhibits have layers, which I will try to explain using Burgers’ Mangrove as an example. The newest of the Burgers’ Zoo ecodisplays manages to be attractive both to average visitors and zoo enthusiasts, highlight an unusual animal extremely well and offer more unexpected engagement for all. These layers are represented by the four quadrants in the graph above
The first and most basic layer is that an exhibit needs to pique the interest of an average zoo visitor. By featuring a large number of free-flying tropical butterflies prominently, this is easily achieved, hardly any visitor doesn’t like them and their large numbers are impossible to miss.
@lintworm
The second layer is to pique the interest of the more “advanced” zoo visitors; the enthusiasts and experts. This is done by displaying a small group of manatees. Which are an impressive species, only kept in a few institutions in an attractively landscaped tank with good above and underwater viewing options. For some average zoo visitors, this would also qualify already as layer three
@lintworm
Layer three is to get the average zoo visitor excited about an animal they did not expect. Burgers’ Mangrove goes one step further by filling a large mud flat with hundreds of fiddler crabs. Not only the average zoo visitor, but the enthusiasts and experts too, are generally stunned by this amazing display, including many displaying male fiddler crabs. Most visitors spend quite some time at this exhibit and it is a great success with the regulars too.
@lintworm
The fourth and final layer is to keep surprising the zoo enthusiasts, experts, including regular zoo visitors. Apart from the fiddler crabs, which would also qualify, there is something extra too. With a small but choice collection of free-ranging birds and reptiles there is always something to explore for them, even while most of the regular zoo visitors will miss the crested bobwhites and Allison’s anoles. Some regular visitors and enthusiasts get great satisfaction from trying to locate these species at every visit.
@Mr Gharial
By offering something to pique the interest of basically every visitor and offering them unexpected experiences, this exhibit is a great example of these different layers. Burgers’ Mangrove is of course an exhibit of a relatively large scale, being a building of 3000 square metres, so there is a lot of room for complexity. Smaller exhibits can be must see too, but might not have quite so many layers or somewhat more simple ones.
Part III: How to create a must see exhibit
There are of course multiple ways to create a must see exhibit, I have selected 14 possible ways to do so. These different ways are not mutually exclusive either and some are clearly interrelated. Most must see exhibits will tick multiple boxes and by using these ways well it is possible to create the different layers of what I would see as a must see exhibit.
1) Get your concept right
This really is the basis for any successful exhibit and without a proper concept creating a must see exhibit is impossible. It does not matter what you want to do, from replicating a given ecosystem to creating a good exhibit for any given species, you need a good concept. What is it you want to show, how do you want to show it, what story do you want to tell your visitors and how will you engage them. There is a plethora of enclosures that just screams that zoo x just wanted to display species y and did not really care much beyond that. All the simple hoofstock paddocks, aviaries and basic primate islands do not really make for intriguing exhibits either. I am not saying zoos should not have such exhibits, as they can be great in terms of husbandry, but it doesn’t make for great exhibits that will engage most visitors.
@lintworm
2) Be world changing
Easier said than done, but once you get your concept right and you can manage a breakthrough in the husbandry of a certain species or in the way of creating exhibits, this is a huge selling point. Being world changing can be to supersize something (point 4 later on), but it does not need to be. World changing exhibits are not necessarily great exhibits for the general public, as the
Gorillarium in Howletts shows, but the well-informed visitor will appreciate them. And more importantly other zoos will copy you at some point if you really found the magic bullet.
@Animal
3) Go natural (up close)
If you want to inspire a love for nature, one option is to create as natural exhibits as possible for the species. While it is not always possible to recreate an outdoor rainforest landscape in a temperate area, using living trees in a primate exhibit, would for example also be a good step. Which is often very beneficial for the species involved too. While it is easy to imagine to go natural with large scale exhibits, this can also be done on a very small scale. It is relatively easily possible to replicate a natural situation in a small-scale diorama setting for aviaries or terraria, as the open air terraria in the Alpenzoo Innsbruck show.
@lintworm
@LiSom
4) Supersize me
Quite an obvious choice to create a showstopper enclosure is to make it big, really big. That makes for good marketing and gives plenty of options to do something good and immerse visitors into the exhibit. While this option will in cases be quite expensive, as creating a 1 hectare rainforest hall or a mega aquarium does not come cheap. It can however be done more cost-effective too, especially when you can attractively fence in pieces of existing land (point 11). The lynx enclosure in Zoo Dortmund is a good example of that. The risk with supersizing is that visitors still want to see animals, so one needs good viewing options, preferably with up-close views of the animals on show.
@Maguari
5) Represent unique ecosystems or regions well
Zoos sometimes seem to resemble each other more and more. Having an exhibit stand out by choosing something different than the 735th African savanna or pampas exhibit can be a good way. There are plenty of ecosystems or regions that do not really get too much attention, but that if represented well can be a real asset. The
underground zoo in Zoo Osnabrueck is a prime example of how to do something different and do that well.
@FunkyGibbon
6) Showcase underrepresented species successfully
If you can turn a relatively unknown species into a crowd favourite by exhibiting it well, you can easily set yourself apart in the zoo landscape. Conway argued that this would be possible for any given species and I think this is true. From microbes to fiddler crabs to yellow-throated martens, if you give them a chance to shine, they might very well grab it. For smaller species it often works best if you can supersize it (point 4), as a large enclosure with large groups of animals has an easier time grabbing the public’s attention.
@Maguari
7) Focus on interesting behaviour or interesting species mixes
One good concept would be to think of the behaviour you want your animals in an exhibit to show off to the public.
Wilhelma’s gibbon exhibit is a strange structure, but it offers up-close views at eye level of brachiating gibbons. Something which in other zoos is generally seen from much larger distances. An often used way to get species to behave more interesting is to create interesting species mixes that keeps the animals more active. The
mixed-species paddock in Burgers’ Zoo is such an example where pig-tailed macaques make a hoofstock mix much more interesting. But that can also be done with many other species.
@Toddy
8) Be proud of your heritage
With zoos, especially city zoos, as cultural institutions, it would be a folly not to use the available historical structures to your advantage. Restorated historical buildings can have great value, either in a form close to their original use as
Vienna’s bird house, or when being creative such as housing orangutans in a former orangerie. Historic zoos often have a wealth of options to show how human-animal relationships have changed over long periods of time. Highlighting the evolution of this relationship is a great asset for city zoos. Being proud of heritage also applies to structures that were there before the zoo existed, such as Wilhelma’s Moorish garden or the
Walled Garden in Cotswold. These zoos use these structures as selling points to create a unique atmosphere. Zoo history also does not stop in 1940, there is a place for the concrete dominated structures of the 70s in a modern zoo too. Heritage can even be created in the present. If done well modern architecture can enhance the zoo experience, as the elephant enclosures in
Zurich and
Copenhagen show.
@JamesB
9) Get your theming right
This is more easily said than done, but it separates the lazy from the great. A bonanza of crashed airplanes, jeeps, copious amounts of mock rock and mud huts is not exactly how Africa looks like. It does show a lack of interest in the story you want to tell and a lack of trust in your visitors. The
Lewa Savanne in Zurich shows that realistic (cultural) theming is also very effective. All the simplified theming can also be an affront to the culture of the people whose region you say to represent. This does not need to be expensive or exclusive to major zoos, as the
Tibetan village in Tierpark Goerlitz shows.
@antonmuster
10) Let the plants work for you
Plants can be a great way to mask shortcomings, hide sightlines and create the right atmosphere. But unfortunately many zoo designers still seem to think Asia basically exists of bamboo and Africa of baobabs. While easy, it is also lazy, and many zoos that rely so heavily on bamboo have the means to do better. There are plenty of hardy tropical looking plants which allow one to recreate realistic landscapes. Dublin Zoo understands that, as many of their exhibits show. One should be careful with planting potentially invasive species though, which is a mistake many zoos still make unfortunately.
@TheoV
11) Use the terrain to your advantage
This is not an option for every zoo, but zoos with the luxury of existing woodlands, hilly terrain or natural rocky outcroppings should use this potential to the fullest. The
Chitwan enclosure in Ostrava is such an example how fencing in a chunk of your zoo can be nearly enough to create a stunning exhibit.
Sigean also has the advantage of its Mediterranean location to give the authentic feeling of Africa a safari in the UK simply cannot provide. Valleys or old open mines can be great locations for large aviaries, as the
Okapi Sanctuary in Doue-la-Fontaine shows.
@lintworm
12) Attention to detail
Easier said than done and closely related to getting your concept right. Too many exhibits still have waterfalls appearing out of nowhere or mock rock where rockwork makes no sense at all. At that scale things should be fitting, but attention to detail at a small scale can make all the difference too. It shows when exhibits are designed with love and care and while it seems obvious, it is apparently not. One can say a lot about
Pairi Daiza’s Chinese garden, but everything is thought through to the last painting and Buddha statue.
@KevinB
13) Sightlines matter
If you want to give visitors the illusion they are in nature instead of a zoo, visitors on the other side of an enclosure can be a big buzzkiller. A masterclass of how to avoid cross viewing is given in
Burgers’ Ocean. But sightlines matter in general, Hagenbeck understood very well how one creates optical illusions with them. In addition, sightlines can also work great for imposing vistas like in the
savanna exhibit in Salzburg. Choosing as a designer what you show the public and what not is an artform and only very few zoos succeed in showing the visitor only what the zoo wants them to see.
@ro6ca66
14) Well-designed walkthroughs
Getting up-close and personal with the animals is often a great way to create lasting zoo memories. The
squirrel monkey forest in Apenheul is a prime example on how such walkthroughs can become crowd favourites. They can not only be beneficial for the public, but in a good walkthrough the animals also profit. The large walkthrough aviaries are great ways of displaying birds, especially as they also allow prolonged flight movements. Flying groups of parrots in
Doue-la-Fontaine are great from a welfare perspective, but a show to watch too.
@Therabu
So could every zoo design a must see exhibit? In theory yes, as money cannot buy you one an creativity is free. Even for small zoos there are plenty of examples on how to create great exhibits at low costs. But without a good concept and attention to detail it will not happen. If zoos are to remain relevant in the future, creating must see exhibits will only become more important though. Zoos will need to show that they not only really contribute to ex situ and in situ conservation, they will need to increasingly engage visitors with the natural world. With cities growing and natural areas decreasing, zoos will increasingly become the best accessible opportunity of offering a glimpse of the majesty our planet’s natural wealth has to offer.
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That really was my final contribution to this thread, I hope you have enjoyed it and were surprised from time to time! I also hope it did not only bring enjoyment and plenty of ideas for future travel, but also made you think what a must see exhibit actually means and how zoos can step up their game. Thank you for joining me all the way. After 7 months with over 1000 posts and already over 120.000 views, this has been a much bigger effort than expected. But it was worth it given the high interest of all the readers and contributors.
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