Inside Zoos - Entrances

First impressions are everything!   Lets face it, lots of people want the ability to engage with you and influence you. Most businesses spend lots of money in the art of influence, experimenting on smells, colors, space, layout and advertising,  when all they need to do is focus on being a good citizen of the world  with ethics, oh yeah, and a welcoming entry statement.
 

Taronga Zoo historical entrance

Zoos are all about getting you to engage with their message, and yes they also employ lots of tactics to do this.  What they are trying to sell is an idea, conservation! And they want you to engage with that idea in many different ways. Anyway I digress, that's another post. Before you engage you must enter and first impressions are everything. 

Let's look at some of my favorite zoos and wild life park entrances that I've experienced over the last 12months and why I think they work. 

Central Park Zoo  is a small city zoo in the metropolis of New York City. The front entrance plaza is an extension of Central Park. Before you even enter the zoo you have access to the zoo's art gallery, zoo shop and some impressive public art including the Delacorte Music Clock that is located near the Children's Zoo. The clock plays one of a  selection of 44 children songs every half hour from 8am until 5pm daily.The other thing I love about this zoo entrance is that you can see the sea lions playing on the rocks in their enclosure from the plaza: Making Central Park zoo entrance plaza a great place to sit for a quiet bite to eat during your lunch break.
 

Delacorte Music Clock

Carumbin Wild Life Park  is an Australian wildlife park located in a leafy part of the Gold Coast. One of the most famous attractions at the park is the  lorikeet feeding that actually takes place in the large entrance courtyard before you pay to enter the park. You can watch on for free and have the opportunity to feed lorikeet's as they perch themselves all over you. Two feeding times are scheduled daily at 8am and 4pm  There is also a relaxing coffee shop and gift store located in the entry court.

 

Entrance off the road

Sydney Wildlife Zoo is located at the busy Darling Harbour in Central Sydney. If you only had a short time in Sydney and desperately want to get a picture of a Koala, you could pop down to the Sydney Wildlife Zoo's front entrance. They have an excellent koala enclosure right at the front entrance. perfect for that quick photo opportunity. 
 

Photo opportunity at Sydney Wildlife Zoo entrance

Wild Florida Zoo and Air-Boat Rides. is located in the Northern Everglades in Central Florida. To access the park you need to drive up a long unsealed dirt track. When it comes to first impressions the road fits in perfectly with the park motto " The Middle Of Nowhere Has Been Discovered" Unfortunately the park has just announced that they will be sealing the road in March. Oh well ! That's progress for you. 
 

Front entrance building at Wild Florida

 

Minimal entrance statement that fits motto

Bronx Zoo in New York City is one of the largest urban zoos in the world, and they have the entrance fitting for such a  position. The zoo does have four entrances, but if you enter the Fordham Road entrance via the large wrought iron gates you will enter one of  the more impressive zoo entry experiences. There isn't one thing that makes this entrance so great, its a multitude of things like the beautiful old style buildings, sea lion pool and gardens that when  combined visually build up the anticipation of a great day at the zoo.

Bronx Zoo

Bronx Zoo

So the next time you visit your favorite zoo, pause and soak in the effort made at the entrance to both make your day and make an impression.

© March 2014-Stuatthezoo.blogspot.com.au