After looking at the new Nashville Zoo map and the thread about the artist and how it was made, I've been googling other zoo maps to look at common designs and themes and what works and what doesn't.
In my opinion, The best maps show clear paths that have landmarks so that you can easily see where you are in the zoo at a glance. I also prefer animal drawings and images as opposed to silhouettes. LA Zoo and San Diego Zoo and Safari Park do this really well and are some of my favorite maps. They are done by the same designer so this makes sense that they would be similar. It is brightly colored without being too obnoxious.
Some zoos have more stylized maps that give the zoo a unique feeling and sets them apart from others. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and Denver Zoo have unique maps that make each zoo feel distinct even though they are only 45 mins apart and feature similar collections.
Maps that only show a "bird's eye" view are way more difficult to read and it is hard to judge your place in the zoo because there are no landmarks or ways to judge elevation or topography. Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and Memphis Zoo are examples of this.
And then there's Zoo Atlanta. I have no clue what to make of this. It looks like someone made the pathways in Microsoft Paint and then added free clipart images for the animals. Nothing about the map itself looks professional. I have no clue where exhibits begin or end and some of the animals look nothing like what they're supposed to be. The font is boring and has no consistency in size. The whole thing is a mess and has my vote for the worst zoo map.
What zoo maps do you guys like and which maps don't work for you and why?
In my opinion, The best maps show clear paths that have landmarks so that you can easily see where you are in the zoo at a glance. I also prefer animal drawings and images as opposed to silhouettes. LA Zoo and San Diego Zoo and Safari Park do this really well and are some of my favorite maps. They are done by the same designer so this makes sense that they would be similar. It is brightly colored without being too obnoxious.
Some zoos have more stylized maps that give the zoo a unique feeling and sets them apart from others. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and Denver Zoo have unique maps that make each zoo feel distinct even though they are only 45 mins apart and feature similar collections.
Maps that only show a "bird's eye" view are way more difficult to read and it is hard to judge your place in the zoo because there are no landmarks or ways to judge elevation or topography. Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and Memphis Zoo are examples of this.
And then there's Zoo Atlanta. I have no clue what to make of this. It looks like someone made the pathways in Microsoft Paint and then added free clipart images for the animals. Nothing about the map itself looks professional. I have no clue where exhibits begin or end and some of the animals look nothing like what they're supposed to be. The font is boring and has no consistency in size. The whole thing is a mess and has my vote for the worst zoo map.
What zoo maps do you guys like and which maps don't work for you and why?
