Zoo exhibit design: the influence of animal visibility on visitor experience

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dc.contributor.authorPlaatsman, Michelleen
dc.contributor.committeechairMiller, Patrick A.en
dc.contributor.committeememberRoggenbuck, Joseph W.en
dc.contributor.committeememberCutler, Ruperten
dc.contributor.departmentLandscape Architectureen
dc.date.accessioned2014-03-14T20:45:04Zen
dc.date.adate2008-09-09en
dc.date.available2014-03-14T20:45:04Zen
dc.date.issued1996en
dc.date.rdate2008-09-09en
dc.date.sdate2008-09-09en
dc.description.abstractNaturalistic exhibits have become popular among zoo designers as well as zoo visitors. However, one problem associated with naturalistic exhibits is that many times visitors cannot see the animals. The primary purpose of this study was to examine the effect of this lack of visibility on visitor experience. Other goals of this study were 1) to theorize the relationship between visitor experience and exhibit design, 2) to present the implications of this study on current practices in zoo exhibit design, and 3) to provide a series of design recommendations which will enhance current design practices. The results of this study suggest that there is a significant relationship between animal visibility and visitor experience. Most importantly, the results indicate that animal visibility can significantly influence how visitors use the interpretive materials associated with the exhibits. These results are important because a primary zoo objective is visitor education through sign readership. The most valuable contributions made by this study are 1) the theory proposed in this thesis which provides designers a stronger theoretical foundation from which to begin the design of zoo exhibits, 2) the findings provide additional empirical data in identifying qualities of exhibits which stimulate visitors to read, and 3) the findings provide researchers additional evidence concerning what factors of an exhibit are most significant in influencing visitor attitudes.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Landscape Architectureen
dc.format.extentviii, 149 leavesen
dc.format.mediumBTDen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.otheretd-09092008-063812en
dc.identifier.sourceurlhttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-09092008-063812/en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/34987en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.relation.haspartLD5655.V855_1996.P533.pdfen
dc.relation.isformatofOCLC# 36124063en
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectzoo designen
dc.subjectexhibit designen
dc.subjectnaturalistic exhibitsen
dc.subjectinterpretationen
dc.subjectvisitor surveyen
dc.subjectvisitor behavioren
dc.subjectvisitor educationen
dc.subjectvisitor attitudesen
dc.subjectvisitor satisfactionen
dc.subject.lccLD5655.V855 1996.P533en
dc.titleZoo exhibit design: the influence of animal visibility on visitor experienceen
dc.typeThesisen
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten
thesis.degree.disciplineLandscape Architectureen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Landscape Architectureen

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