Zoo Map Designs

[AnaheimZoo]

I love looking at the different designs of park maps. Each map makes a place (may it be a zoo, amusement park, or whatever) seem more enchanting, exciting and just simply, fun!

For a zoo map, I was wondering which style of animal illustrations you would prefer to be used. Do you like small icons, (like tiny, square/circle pictures of the animals) vector-style illustrations (like the fancy, colorful new San Diego Zoo map or Woodland Park Zoo's map) on colorful backgrounds, or do you like the simple animal silhouettes seen on the Bronx or Dallas Zoo map? What's your favored style?

And, from zoo maps you've seen, what's the best-designed (or nicest... I really don't know what adjective to use for zoo maps... ) zoo map you've seen? Give me a link for a picture of it!

-AnaheimZoo

P.S. I'd like you to answer in this type of format, if you don't mind:
-what you look for in a good zoo map and/or what you hope zoo maps would add (like jbnbsn99 said, "accurate exhibit size depictions," or like KCZooFan said, "it provided a list of all the species the zoo kept in each area")
-what you despise in zoo maps (once again, like jbnbsn99)
-which animal illustration you prefer (silhouettes, small pictures or vector illustrations)
-best zoo maps you've seen (like KCZooFan and mstickmanp said)

 

[KCZooFan]

I think it is stored away somewhere in my house, but the old (2007) map of the Cheyenne mountain zoo was really good. There wasn't anything special about the actual map, but there was a list of all species the zoo kept in each area, corresponding to numbers on the map. I really wish more zoos would list their species. I don't know if they still do this.

 

[AnaheimZoo]

You appreciate it when zoos list their species... hm...
I'm hoping others will respond to this thread soon. I want to have a couple of different viewpoints of maps available so I can take different things into consideration when designing zoo maps. Do you care for little animal symbols or are you okay with the actual names of the animals listed where their exhibit is instead of a picture? Because whichever type of illustration I'd use, I would still write the names of the animals underneath the picture anyway.

So, the current PDF map on Cheyenne Mountain's website isn't the same as the 2007 version? Because their map online still has the animal list, just so you know.

 

[jbnbsn99]

What I want to see in a good zoo mp is one that is one that accurately depicts the zoo. Nothing cartoony, and the proportions of the exhibits are correct. I despise a certain map that I am quite familiar with.

 

[mstickmanp]

I personally like the LA Zoo map and the previous San Diego Zoo map. The LA Zoo map fairly accurately shows every single exhibit and it also provides a list of the most popular animals/exhibits in the bottom as well as a list of the Botanical highlights. The old SD zoo map also had a similar design design.

Other zoos that come to mind with nice maps are the Bronx Zoo, Oklahoma City Zoo, Zoo Miami, and Oregon Zoo.

 

[AnaheimZoo]

mstickmanp, OKC Zoo's map is pretty nice. And btw, do you have any pictures of Zoo Miami's map? It won't allow me to zoom in on the PDF map posted on their website, and there aren't any bigger-sized versions on Google Images. Have a link?

And yes, jbnbsn99, I understand you completely. When I said SDZ's map was fancy, I really meant just the animals... While it is a bit cartoony, I think they're alright.

But yeah, overall, the map is too hectic! It's crowded, and like mstickmanp said, I prefer the older SDZoo map only because it gave better directions. It's just that it only had the highlights, (like pandas, gorillas, elephants) on it, rather than more specific animals. And, only a single, spotted big cat is used to represent the Big Cat Trail and the same generic pig, otter and parrot icon is used a good 3 or 4 times throughout...)

I also like Oregon's and Bronx's (and a few others') way of setting the zoo map up in the form of a grid, that way they can direct you to, say, giraffes in C4 or whatever.

 

[Cat-Man]

personally i like zoo maps with the animal silhouettes, or like san diego zoo's map. however, i also like for the map to have in writing what animal is in each enclosure