This is a topic which has interested me for a while. Zoo signage or animal information. Overall I'm wondering what zoos do a good job at making their signage look aesthetically pleasing, are easy to understand, and offer lots of information, and what zoos poorly execute this. If any one wants to share their thoughts, that would be great!
Colchester Zoo has some of the best signage I have seen.I think it does a good job at clearly marking out the exhibits and educating guests(it is easy to understand)though sometimes it seems to get in the way of viewing so I would not consider it aesthetically pleasing. I do think Beauval has some good signage(in certain areas)because there isn’t too much of it but it works the same,although in certain areas of the zoo I do not enjoy it. I have always found the signage at the ZSL zoos unnecessary and random(particularly at London’s now-closed Aquarium).However,this is not the case on London’s B.U.G.S(conveniently, this will be the site of the new aquarium, or so I am told)and Whipsnade’s Centre for Elephant Care and Butterfly House. Certain zoos(I think Monkey World is the best example I have seen though there are many others),have bad signage throughout the zoo but in one certain area(with Monkey World having the Capuchin Complex and Information Centre)cramming in a lot of signage which should be elsewhere. I am sure most people who have been to these zoos will disagree with me,but these are my opinions. EDIT:I am assuming this is the thread I should be posting this on
Beauval's new signage for the dome is quite nice, quite visual and well made, with some stats at the bottom and some lesser-known facts spread around, with really nice illustrations.
I have never seen the dome(it was opened six months after my 2019 visit)but I would love to.As I have already stated,I think Beauval has some good signage throughout,particularly in ‘The Hills of China’.I can never seem to decide whether or not I like the signage in the ‘Hippopotamus Reserve’.There is also some interesting signage in The Tropical Greenhouse for the Apes. This Equatorial Dome signage appears to be quite strange because it doesn’t seem anything like what I have named above.However,I like that-I enjoy it when zoos use a new signage type for new exhibits.
I don't want to state the obvious, but of course signage has to have illustrations to really have educational value. Very few people are going to read the signs if they are just text and nothing visual or interactive. If they are just pictures, people are going to look at them, but not learn very much. It is a matter of getting a balance between the two that works. Even the shape of the sign can be important. You laugh, but kids are more likely to look at signs that are of a natural or interesting shape. If it is just a rectangle, it won't attract as much attention even though it is more cost effective to produce. Similarly, large, colourful illustrations are important. Maps are also useful, especially when accompanied by a label saying the region in which they are found. Also essential for all endangered animals is saying they are endangered and informing the visitors as to why. For example, on a sign relating to orangutans or Sumatran tigers, it might be a good idea to have a section on palm oil, and then something that tells visitors which products might have palm oil in them. Not many people will read it, but perhaps a small percentage of those people will think more about palm oil before they buy something. The facts that are added to the sign are also important. If you regurgitate a Wikipedia article onto the sign, no-one will be interested. If the information on the sign is varied and a bit niche, like a weird fact or strange adaptation, people will read it and remember it. And though they might not know the absolute essentials on all the animals, at least they will come away with some information on the animals at the end of the day. Another thing that can be useful is having several different but smaller signs. That way, they potentially get a lot of information across but look less daunting. A lot of panda exhibits do this really well, with bamboo around the exhibit (it may look like useless theming but it engrains their diet) lots of signs and perhaps a size comparison. Of course, this all costs a lot of money, but not when you look at it in comparison to the enclosures themselves! It is really good for education at the zoo and reinforces yet another reason why zoos are needed.
Another thing I meant to add is a point about languages. It is not always essential to have multiple languages on signage. Of course it is useful if you are a very large or metropolitan zoo, but as Beauval demonstrates here, it is not always essential even in these cases. One can grasp what the sign is saying without very in-depth knowledge of French and the illustrations go well with the message of the sign.
Los Angeles Zoo has excellent signage in English and Spanish, which I think other American zoos in communities with a large Hispanic population should emulate. Something that bothers me is that most aquariums only have signs for around half or 3/4 of their fish. A lot of tanks have unlabeled fish, and unless you photograph every species and consult databases afterwards, you won’t know what you’ve seen. Even if the fish was just newly introduced I think they have a responsibility to put up a Word doc with common name, scientific name, and a rough sketch of the fish’s shape.
Several years ago Reid Park Zoo came up with a new and much improved sign format. All of their signs have the same design for consistency. In spite of the glaring photo error on this one, I like their signage. It is easy-to-read and to-the-point and includes a couple things about wild animals and the animals currently at the zoo. What I particularly like is the sliding pointer on the endangered status. In fact I think it is the best display of IUCN status I have seen anywhere. Anyone can understand a slider that goes from green to red, but not many people know what "IUCN status: vulnerable" means.
Yeah, would help if the image was of an American alligator though . I think it is a Nile crocodile. In fact, a book on reptiles did exactly the same thing. Had a massive photo of a Nile croc on a double page about American alligators, pointing out the 'short, rounded snout' on the long, pointed snout of the croc In all seriousness, I agree with you about this signage. Good balance of illustration and writing, perhaps the font could be slightly larger to draw attention to it and make it easier to read, the sliding scale is a nice touch, and there is lots of colour.
The type of signage I dislike is electronic slideshows that switch between species, common in newer aquariums and reptile houses. Unless they are touch screens that let you scroll between pages, you have to stand there for up to several minutes waiting to see all the species in the enclosure. And on a crowded day you get jostled by children while waiting for the slideshow to end. I don’t know why the trend has been toward these slideshows; I vastly prefer a bunch of small signs installed around the tank that you can quickly skim over.
Agreed! When I was at Shark Reef in Las Vegas a few years ago, I thought I saw "Galapagos Shark" labeled on one of the slides. I had to wait at least five minutes through The whole slideshow to confirm my suspicions.
Although the photo is incorrect, this sign packs a whole lot in! It's easy to read and understand for the average zoo visitor
The nocturnal portion of Columbus Zoo's Australia exhibit has lights behind the signing so people can read it in the dark.
