Below is the third and final of three installments of a research report conducted by top zoo design experts, Stacey Tarpley. In “Enriching the Visitor Experience: PGAV Destinations and Environmental Design,” Stacey takes a brilliant, academic approach to clearly define and give examples of what enrichment is today; how exceptionally well-designed enrichment can greatly benefit the visitor experience; and why enrichment isn’t a luxury in zoo design, but rather an essential starting point.
One example of highly successful planning team collaboration is the Glacier Run exhibit recently opened at Louisville Zoo. This exhibit is an innovative, immersive, and engaging experience, incorporating state-of-the-art polar bear and sea lion holding facilities and visible enrichment areas. Thematically inspired by the town of Churchill, Canada (the polar bear capital of the world), the exhibit motivates visitors to take action in support of the conservation of animals and their delicate habitats. The exhibit opened in April 2011 and the expansion for the zone, including a flight cage for Steller’s Sea Eagles, opened in spring 2013.
One example of highly successful planning team collaboration is the Glacier Run exhibit recently opened at Louisville Zoo. This exhibit is an innovative, immersive, and engaging experience, incorporating state-of-the-art polar bear and sea lion holding facilities and visible enrichment areas. Thematically inspired by the town of Churchill, Canada (the polar bear capital of the world), the exhibit motivates visitors to take action in support of the conservation of animals and their delicate habitats. The exhibit opened in April 2011 and the expansion for the zone, including a flight cage for Steller’s Sea Eagles, opened in spring 2013.
From the start, enrichment for both animal and guest was a priority. So much so, in fact, the overall design concept was rooted in the ideas of ‘change’ and ‘surprise’ with a goal to create entirely new enrichment techniques. Additionally, the exhibit was intended to enable the involvement of the guest in enrichment activities creating a highly dynamic experience within an escapist storyline that entertained as much as it educated. Beyond that, the team identified several specific implementation goals including a targeted number of enrichment devices per species and a targeted utilization rate to be measured and assessed at regular intervals. Read more...