This paper discusses the development and visitor research of the George D. Widener Memorial Treehouse at the Philadelphia Zoo. The exhibit represents a non-traditional approach to education which involves the child as learner in the guise of an animal. This paper includes key findings from an evaluation study that aimed to achieve a systematic, working description of how visitors use "Treehouse"--what they are actually doing while they are there.
This paper discusses the methodology and findings of a study that tested the impact on visitors of using life-sized animal cutouts as a background for interpretive labels. The effectiveness of these labels were examined at the "African Plains Overlook" at the North Carolina Zoo
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Stephen BitgoodArlene BenefieldDonald PattersonHoward Litwak
This paper discusses ways exhibit labels can be used to encourage social interaction. It summarizes research related to effective labeling for family visitors at zoos as well as strategies to reach this audience more effectively with educational and/or interpretive messages.
In this article, Jacksonville State University's Bill Ford discusses findings from three studies that suggest that self-reports are often inaccurate if they are not validated. There are often differences between stated preferences of visitors and their actual behavior.
In this article, Jacksonville State University's Stephen Bitgood discusses two misconceptions associated with signs that attempt to control visitor behavior. Bitgood cites findings from a study of three types of Do-Not-Feed signs at the Birmingham Zoo.
In this article, Jacksonville State University's Stephen Bitgood responds to nine commonly misconceptions about evaluation. Bitgood cites recent research findings related to visitor evaluation theories and approaches in museums/zoos.
In this article, Jacksonville State University's Stephen Bitgood responds to seven commonly-held beliefs about visitors. Bitgood cites recent research findings to explain visitor behavior in museums/zoos.