ZooChat Exhibit Design Think Tank: what exhibit ideas lie beyond the known?
- Thread starter DavidBrown
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Drew
Well-Known Member
Completely agree!
Drew
Well-Known Member
Sorry, Ituri is right. Many times on a project when the construction bids come in higher than what the expected budget is the design and construction firm will take another look at the project to see where there are opportunities to save money to get the project within budget. In this case, the zoo had the flash flood interpretive as an alternate to the original design so the contractor could price out the interpretive seperately to see how much it is worth. In the end the alternate was too expensive, so it was not accepted.
Zooplantman
Well-Known Member
Not in the depth possible, no. But the closest I know of is
Plants, gardens, horticulture, social projects - Eden Project, Cornwall
My understanding is that the Minnesota weasel exhibit was/is succesful because a number of weasels are kept in off show cages. They are released into the on show exhibit one at a time. Excited by the scents of other animals and a change of scene, they run around and are unusually active. Then they go off show again.
Zooplantman
Well-Known Member
The mangrove exhibit we designed for California Academy of Sciences was intended to ebb and flow. I don't know whether they are using it that way, though. Philippine Mangrove Lagoon - California Academy of Sciences
Plants are going to be the limiting factor in these sorts of exhibits IF the cycle of flood and dry must be repeated often enough, daily or more than once daily, to be a planned feature. Few plants will put up with such treatment for long.
Many design firms have long wanted to do a real Amazon flooded forest, but the tree species that survive the Amazon flooding are rather specific and the mechanism for surviving months of inundation is not understood (although there is a brand new study that might change that). Still, an exhibit is a very different place.
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I think this thread has really potential, Great call David.
The crow exhibit is a brilliant idea. It got me thinking though that maybe exhibit design could be used to display science and general scientific principles. The idea for this one being that the general accepted species concept, the biological species concept (BSC) doesn't account for hybrids. In most of England carrion crows are the main species however it Scotland pied crows are and in south scotland there is a hybrid zone, so what species are the "hybrids"? Imagine 3 aviaries next to each other (carrion, hybrid, pied) and with a well knowledge volunteer it could get people who aren't neccesarily from a science backgroud disscussing scietific principles becuase of 3 avaries?
The crow exhibit is a brilliant idea. It got me thinking though that maybe exhibit design could be used to display science and general scientific principles. The idea for this one being that the general accepted species concept, the biological species concept (BSC) doesn't account for hybrids. In most of England carrion crows are the main species however it Scotland pied crows are and in south scotland there is a hybrid zone, so what species are the "hybrids"? Imagine 3 aviaries next to each other (carrion, hybrid, pied) and with a well knowledge volunteer it could get people who aren't neccesarily from a science backgroud disscussing scietific principles becuase of 3 avaries?
The old Cal Academy had a very simple tidepool aquarium where the "tide" ebbed and then rose in a very short time cycle (less than 5 minutes). Seeing the crashing waves refilling the pool when the "tide" was returning was pretty fun, and seeing sea stars, anemones etc. "stranded" above the low tide water level got the message across very well.
gorgeousingray
Well-Known Member
* Yes, mechanical topography variation is what I meant
. On the top of course would be grass and foliage, while the different levels have defined entry points which can be connected by ramps of soil/sand.
*Something that I have designed for my dream elephant barns is a utilization of wasted space, where the elephants can walk out of the barn, and climb a hill, to a grassy area on the roof. I know we've all seen the roofs with foliage on it, why not utilize this to give the elephants more space, and the visitors something they soon won't forget?
*The flooding exhibit- I have thought of similar concepts my self, particularly for an amazonian aquarium complex (for none other than the pink dolphins). Where, there is a forested section of the enclosure, with birds, and insects, maybe Ukari or saki, then there is a ramp in the public section that goes down to a glass fronted pool simulating a river bed. Then daily the water levels rise into the forest habitat, giving the dolphins and fish access to the trees (probably artificial) and actually demonstrating the flooded forest on a daily basis! then the dolphins could be coaxed out of the forest by food (fish as well?) and the water level would lower again. S
. On the top of course would be grass and foliage, while the different levels have defined entry points which can be connected by ramps of soil/sand.*Something that I have designed for my dream elephant barns is a utilization of wasted space, where the elephants can walk out of the barn, and climb a hill, to a grassy area on the roof. I know we've all seen the roofs with foliage on it, why not utilize this to give the elephants more space, and the visitors something they soon won't forget?
*The flooding exhibit- I have thought of similar concepts my self, particularly for an amazonian aquarium complex (for none other than the pink dolphins). Where, there is a forested section of the enclosure, with birds, and insects, maybe Ukari or saki, then there is a ramp in the public section that goes down to a glass fronted pool simulating a river bed. Then daily the water levels rise into the forest habitat, giving the dolphins and fish access to the trees (probably artificial) and actually demonstrating the flooded forest on a daily basis! then the dolphins could be coaxed out of the forest by food (fish as well?) and the water level would lower again. S
Pied crows are an African species, the Scottish birds are hooded crows. Carrion crows and hooded crows were formerly named as different subspecies, but they are now classified as separate species. However the hybrids appear to be fertile - they are found in a wide area of Scotland and they normally look like hoodies with slightly darker bodies than usual. So the difference between the birds is not particularly well marked.
Alan
Another exhibit idea: I recently learned about phosphorescent mushrooms. They seem quite enchanting: http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/mushrooms-glow-in-the-dark/4821
From what I read they grow wild in Japan and South America. Has anyone ever seen them displayed in captivity?
It seems like they could make a potentially fantastic exhibit if they could be grown in a zoo setting. Perhaps a whole exhibit on phosphoresence could be put together.
From what I read they grow wild in Japan and South America. Has anyone ever seen them displayed in captivity?
It seems like they could make a potentially fantastic exhibit if they could be grown in a zoo setting. Perhaps a whole exhibit on phosphoresence could be put together.
You are completely right alan it was hooded crows I meant, sorry for any confusion (and thank you for correcting me). The question, however remains, if they are hybrids then they do not fit in to the species concept? Also can't the hybrid colouration vary depending on the population?
Drew
Well-Known Member
The following ideas have less to do with exhibits and more to do with the interpretive, education aspect of the zoo experience. While working on my college thesis project I came up with an idea on how children can experience an exhibit in more than one way while being entertained and educated at the same time by “becoming” a scientist (zoologist, anthropologist, biologist, botanist, ect.). The idea was to use a card of sorts for each of these individual fields of study (akin to the many zoo-key elements at zoos that have a song, additional animal info., ect) that the child can choose at the beginning of their journey and be an “ecologist for a day”. This would not only educate them on the role many of these occupations play but it might be a great way to inspire future generations of scientists. There would probably have to be different levels of information so it can be applicable to a range of age groups. Of course this would be more geared toward members as it would require multiple trips to the zoo but who knows maybe the extra-curricular knowledge provided will inspire more parents to become members. Anyone who has played with young children can tell you how much they enjoy roll playing so I think this could be a hit!
The other idea is incorporating the above educational tool in a more interactive and technologically advanced way. Using I-pads (or similar) with RFID technology that could display multiple interpretives as you walk along the exhibit path. There could even be infra-red displays, hidden camera monitering, phototraps, the ability to track or locate hard to find animals within their exhibits via a tracking chip much like field scientists (which could also be used help find escapees), and many other possibilities. You could even take photos, ect. and it could put together a compilation of your zoo experience for the day as a keepsake. These devices would of course initially be very expensive but once people see this entertaining way of experiencing an exhibit I think it would be an outstanding way of getting people excited about zoos, especially teenagers (who are sometimes a hard audience for zoos).
The other idea is incorporating the above educational tool in a more interactive and technologically advanced way. Using I-pads (or similar) with RFID technology that could display multiple interpretives as you walk along the exhibit path. There could even be infra-red displays, hidden camera monitering, phototraps, the ability to track or locate hard to find animals within their exhibits via a tracking chip much like field scientists (which could also be used help find escapees), and many other possibilities. You could even take photos, ect. and it could put together a compilation of your zoo experience for the day as a keepsake. These devices would of course initially be very expensive but once people see this entertaining way of experiencing an exhibit I think it would be an outstanding way of getting people excited about zoos, especially teenagers (who are sometimes a hard audience for zoos).
Zooplantman
Well-Known Member
Drew
Well-Known Member
Rob-
I am familiar with MIG, Inc. but not with those exhibits, thanks! They look very similar to what I was thinking, have any studies been done to gauge how successful they are?
Zooplantman
Well-Known Member
That really is the important question, isn't it?
I don't know the answer. I believe there have been some evaluations of stay time at the Brookfield exhibit and they are remarkable. But what are the kids learning? And how has the experience affected their interests going forward?
Here's more about the Hamill Family Play Zoo:
The Informal Learning Review
ZooLex Exhibit
http://www.inclusivecity.com/docManager/1000000015/zoo.pdf
Surley a living piece of science would be the easiest and useful way on transcending science to the masses?
However, I understand what you mean - it is going off topic a bit.
One exhibit I've always thought about is that for African Elephants whereby there enclosure is a detailed replica of a grassland habitat, but the bottom corner of the exhibit is treated as an african village (complete with bomas and square of what used to be used for agriculture, to highlight the main conflict between people and animals). Alternativley the bomas and ruined crops could be the viewing area? Just an idea?
Does anybody know if ANYBODY does this type of research? There seem to be several threads where we keep running into this same question.
I think figuring out whether zoo conservation education efforts are effective, and if not, how to try and improve them, is really important and would like to retrain myself as a social scientist to do this research if nobody else is doing it...
I think this is a fantastic idea. I've had similar thoughts about how one might design a program so that zoo giraffe fans could watch giraffes in a zoo and interact with a website on wild giraffe behavior, record behavioral observations at their local giraffe exhibit and compare them to wild giraffe behavior, and submit their observations to an interactive website in order to get a little certificate or something showing that they are now a zoo giraffe biologist. Something like this could be scaled for all age levels from young elementary students to casual giraffe observers to college students studying biology...haven't figured out how to put it into practice yet, but it is on my list of things to do...