I visited Seattle Aquarium for the 4th time this year (usually it is only about once a year!) and I feel obligated to point out the fact that this research station is a total disaster in terms of visitor appreciation. There are lots of cool screens displaying various video footage of six-gill sharks but I don't think that I've ever seen anyone standing even remotely close to the platform. This room in the aquarium has two large, excellent touch tanks, a terrific octopus exhibit, a docent station with a handful of interesting tanks, and a 12-foot high jellyfish exhibit that is very impressive. The research station is seemingly ignored by all visitors and the aquarium would be better off renovating the area into something different. Maybe a huge eel tank, or a crab/lobster tank, or a shark exhibit with real sharks...
I visited Seattle Aquarium for the 4th time this year (usually it is only about once a year!) and I feel obligated to point out the fact that this research station is a total disaster in terms of visitor appreciation. There are lots of cool screens displaying various video footage of six-gill sharks but I don't think that I've ever seen anyone standing even remotely close to the platform.
I've not been to the aquarium and seen this exhibit, but from the photo and your comments on its lack of use I wonder if the aquarium has done any kind of survey research on whether anyone uses it and learns anything?
Exhibits like this could be important educational tools if anyone pays attention to them. How can zoos and aquariums get people to pay attention to them?
What do you think is wrong with this exhibit that no one uses it? Is it too complicated? Is it dull?
I agree that exhibits such as this could be important educational tools, but if no one pays any attention to them then they are potentially worthless. I believe that the research station is too dull for the majority of aquarium visitors, especially with two large touch tanks in the background and one of the best octopus exhibits that I've ever seen also in the vicinity. Folks don't necessarily want to stare at sharks on video screens when they have the opportunity to touch prickly sea urchins or gaze at giant pacific octopuses.
