Zoos in Transition: Enriching Conservation Education for a New Generation

Abstract

ABSTRACTAs zoos undertake transformations to address issues of conservation education, questions arise as to the most effective means to engage all zoo visitors. This article suggests that zoos are missing opportunities to capture the attention and involvement of the full range of zoo visitors, particularly the youngest children and teenagers, who make up approximately 17 percent of zoo visitors. This article considers the needs of these two groups and provides design guidance and examples of programs to meet those needs.The Children's Zoo Design Project (CZDP) was initiated in 1992 by Zoo Atlanta and Georgia Institute of Technology and funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. The purpose of the project was to provide a central resource to which zoos contemplating design change might turn. The article is based on the research of the CZDP and also includes surveys of zoos, site visits, and the thinking and conclusions of a workshop/seminar participated in by students, zoo professionals, and others involved in zoo design and education.