Aquarium & Zoo Exhibit Design: 4 Examples of Effective Interactive Exhibits
By IDEAS
Twenty-first century zoos and aquariums are embracing the power of offering humans a way to connect with the broader ecosystems they share with other species.
Done skillfully, interactive enhancements build on the human need for connectivity, bringing guests safely “closer” to the animals and deepening ways to move beyond spectation to engagement!
At IDEAS, we’ve rolled up our sleeves and done some innovating to explore these new opportunities. Here are four that we’re particularly proud of…
[Related: Behind the Touch Tank: Impactful Animal Exhibits Through Narrative Technology]
1. MORPH’D
We love storytelling. That’s only one reason we were thrilled to work with The Florida Aquarium in Tampa.
This story was about animal adaptation and the wonders that nature works as time turns. Working closely with the design and animal care team at The Florida Aquarium, we came up with MORPH’D, a journey through adaptation. Firmly anchored in the doctrine that “the animal is the star”, we teamed with technical, audiovisual systems design and our media experts to craft one-of-a-kind engaging deep-dive including:
- A touch-sensitive projection globe explaining animal adaptation in extreme habitats
- A virtual reality (VR) periscope allowing guests to see like to a 4-eyed fish
- Touchscreen content featuring games, videos and animations accompanying each habitat
That’s only a sample of the more than 24 interactive elements created for Morph’d. After all, who doesn’t want to try being an axolotl or a paddlefish?
See how we created MORPH’D at The Florida Aquarium.
[Related: What Is Destination Performance, and Why Does It Matter for Your Attraction?]
2. Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens
Triceratops, tyrannosauruses and stegosauri, oh my! Guests have always enjoyed the dinosaur exhibits at Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens, but their team decided to think about how to kick it up a notch.
We gathered with staff and stakeholders to imagine fresh design elements around one question: “What would dinosaurs like to do with humans?” (Turns out if you ask ‘em, dinos also love a great story.) A wonderful portfolio of possibilities came from our StoryJam process. These were some of the best concepts:
- A dino multiverse
- An on-site dino takeover
- Dino CSI investigations
- Audioscaping – what’s out there?
We took the idea of hands-on, hands-dirty paleontology even further with gamification, set and show-action prop enhancements, and more. Velociraptors may not actually stalk you through the jungle, but it’s the closest you’ll get without getting chomped.
Discover more about our work at Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens.
3. Turtle Base
The Florida Aquarium has a star, and she’s a sea turtle named Tango. We were excited to create and bring to life Tango’s story as part of a unique immersive learning space set in a realistic “underwater research facility” — Turtle Base.
Working alongside the Florida Aquarium EDUCATION team, we developed this experience for elementary age children with flexible storylines and hands-on features. Tango’s journey begins with a custom produced video in which a Turtle Base scientist issues an urgent request to help the research team find her and unfolds uniquely as each guest explores, decides and progresses through the base.
In each Turtle Base space, our young scientists search for Tango’s whereabouts using multi-modal tools of the trade. Each space features a large, wall-mounted, multi-functional Mondopad as a primary display system supported by haptics, physical models and other interactive laboratory gear.
Turtle Base is a hub for workshops, classes, field trips and more, where kids hone their critical thinking and problem-solving skills in a vivid, immersive environment. Operation Tango is a go!
Read more about our efforts at The Florida Aquarium’s Turtle Base.
4. Jungle Island
Jungle Island is a Miami legend, and IDEAS was delighted to help re-imagine its next generation potential. The assignment was to envision, and create a fully researched and branded concept for a comprehensive makeover expanding this destination, from expanded animal encounters to a whole new aquatic adventure.
First, we started by co-creating a new story pinpointing what Jungle Island wanted to be and who it wanted to reach. Those through lines directed our Experience Design Plan, a fresh brand and exciting portfolio of new guest engagement including:
- Animal habitat enhancements
- A top-tier beach club
- A themed hotel
- New live entertainment events
- An exhilarating water park including aquatic animal encounters
- Opportunities to participate in special feeding and care experiences hosted by zoo staff
Jungle Island enjoys generations of loyal guests who enjoy real-life animal encounters as well as upscale hospitality. With cohesive branding and staff service training, every guest interaction is ready to forge more unforgettable memories.
Learn how IDEAS reimagined Jungle Island.
Reinvent Your Aquarium and Zoo Exhibit Design Elements
Inviting guests into amazing stories from science and nature takes more than tech. That artful blend of rich narrative, research-driven “Guestology”, respect for science and an agnostic “what if” focus on show systems is our approach at IDEAS —We’re excited to tell your story, and create Destination Performance for you too!
Contact us when you’re ready to reimagine your design and discuss what you’ve been dreaming up.
About the Author: IDEAS
