I quite agree, that's very impressive. But I have always believed that the entrance to a zoo SHOULD be quite impressive and formal, to whet one's appetite for what lies inside. Just a simple pay-box, I always think, creates such a lousy first impression. And of course some entrance complexes (including Jersey's, I believe) are designed so that one can visit the shop without paying to go into the zoo. Colchester's visitor centre is another such one. On the other side of the coin, one of the worst and most unimposing zoo entrances is to be found at Whipsnade Zoo.
