Interesting to see a zoo working with a local architecture firm instead of one of the same few zoo architect firms that seem to do most of the zoo exhibits in the country. Hopefully this can lead to making a unique exhibit, rather than some of the "cookie cutter" exhibits that have been made in the same generic styles at zoos across the country.
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium News 2023
- Thread starter TheGerenuk
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Just a note on this, Omaha has a ton of Fortune 500 and Top 100 Engineering and Architect firms that do a lot of this.
And I think it shows in their innovation and uniqueness of design that they are getting their ideas from elsewhere. David Hancocks, former Woodland Park Zoo director, gave an interview once where he suggested that zoos should, when designing exhibits, hire local architects/designers and tell them they can't visit other zoos for inspiration, and that this would be a great way to improve welfare and design habitats that are truly more naturalistic.
There's been a lot of talk on this site about the homogenization of zoo collections, but not nearly as much talk on the homogenization of exhibit design. Even if every zoo had the exact same species list, zoos should still be able to stand out from each other and create their own unique identities, and the way to do that is with exhibit design. I can't speak to everyone else, but I'd much rather go to five zoos, and see five equally good but unique exhibits for black-and-white colobus, then go to five zoos, and see identical exhibits in each zoo, with a different old world primate species in each. There is a need for biodiversity in zoos, and I'm certainly not saying that every zoo should have the exact same collection, but highlighting the fact that exhibit design is, at least to me, more important than what species of animal are highlighted.
@Neil chace Absolutely agree with you on this. I have a bunch of friends that work at HBA in Omaha, and I work for one of the firms that has branched into exhibit design. My firm has done some for Lincoln’s Children’s Zoo and also Phoenix Zoo.
It isn't even close to getting there yet.Only problem I see is that Omaha might become a 3-dayer zoo instead of a 2-dayer.
Honest question, are there any three day zoos? There are a few two day for sure, but three seems like it may be stretching it. That is unless you are specifically going for animal pictures and really need/want to hit everything.
I don't think there is a single zoo on Earth that takes three days to see, and I doubt there ever will be one.
I agree, unless you add in an attached water park or something I think that is hard to stretch a classic zoo into three days. Columbus can be three days with the water park.
SDZ, I think. You *can* do it in a day, but I think especially for me as someone who hasn't been there before, I would need 3 days.
You really think two days wouldn't be enough?
Between the amount of exhibits, trying to find birds in the aviaries, probably getting lost because of the paths and map, etc? Yes.
Corangurilla
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Maybe not for the rest of you, but I know for a fact that I’ll be in Kingdom of the Night too much to see the rest of the zoo in one visit.
I can't imagine spending more than an hour in Kingdoms of the Night, how would it take you longer?
Corangurilla
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Nocturnal houses are my weakness. I don’t know if I’d be in there for a straight hour, but I’m definitely going in there more than once.
Even then I can't imagine you could possibly go through enough times to elevate it to a three-day zoo. Do you have any idea how many times through that would be?
Corangurilla
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Okay, I was being slightly facetious….
But Omaha has so many amazing exhibits that I’m certain FOMO will come into affect when I visit. The question isn’t “what do I want to prioritize today?”, it’s “what do I not want to prioritize today?”.
Also, I visited Night Hunters and The Roadhouse twice when I went to Cincinnati and Columbus. I’m certain Kingdom of the Night will be a similar deal.
Two full days and you should be able to see Omaha easily, with plenty of extra time to revisit exhibits on the second day.Okay, I was being slightly facetious….
But Omaha has so many amazing exhibits that I’m certain FOMO will come into affect when I visit. The question isn’t “what do I want to prioritize today?”, it’s “what do I not want to prioritize today?”.
Also, I visited Night Hunters and The Roadhouse twice when I went to Cincinnati and Columbus. I’m certain Kingdom of the Night will be a similar deal.
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