You Need Outdoor Exhibits
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Here are five reasons why
If this year has taught us anything, it’s the value of outdoor spaces. They have become an oasis in isolation where we can play and gather more safely. Parks and nature centers have a great opportunity to be a resource for their communities. It’s the perfect time to be meaningful in site improvements. Here are five reasons why you need outdoor exhibits:
1. More visibility=more visitors. Do you know what increases visitation more than anything else? When visitors know you exist! Whether you want to help guests know where the main entrance is or guide them toward a certain part of a site, outdoor pieces like statues, sculptures, or kiosks let visitors know there is more to discover.
2. Say “cheese,” please! Visually interesting outdoor exhibits are the perfect photo-op for visitors. Place signage that provides the park’s hashtag, and visitors can connect online through photo-sharing apps, and even inspire their friends to come and explore!
At Horicon Marsh in Wisconsin, a woolly mammoth and hunter mark the entrance to the Education and Visitor Center. It makes it pretty hard to miss! A year after Taylor Studios installed these incredible pieces, the client let us know that the mammoth was one of the most photographed objects in Wisconsin.
3. Great for groups. Now more than ever, we see the value of having spaces outdoors where we can gather safely. Whether it’s a school group or folks on a tour of your site, outdoor learning/information areas are a great addition, and will make your site a regular stop.
At Fort Sheridan, visitors are drawn in by the sight of a larger-than-life hawk’s nest along the trail. The interior of the nest is an ADA-accessible mini amphitheater perfect for school groups. Reader rails with historical and natural history information ensure that students and casual visitors can discover more about the area.
A popular place for bird watching, visitors get a “bird’s-eye view” by looking through the special hawk’s head viewer. They can see the world through the eyes of a predator bird, scoping out the small animals and other prey.
4. Show and tell. Every site has a story to tell. Whether it’s the story of where a park got its name, the history of the land, information about habitats, or a discovery that was made nearby, outdoor exhibits connect visitors to the physical experience of what they are learning. As they discover more, appreciation grows, which can lead to greater investment in conservation and stewardship of your site.
In Aurora, Ill., a 188-pound mastodon skull was discovered in 1934. Decades later, the dig site is a park and playground. An exhibit area teaches visitors about this incredible local history, even letting them hear what a mastodon roar may have sounded like.
5. But wait, there’s more! Outdoor exhibits are the perfect partner for a nature or visitor center. When you have interesting and/or informative outdoor pieces, visitors get a taste of what’s to come, and will be more likely to go inside to explore, or to keep their eyes peeled for more exhibits.
If your site is all outdoors, then exhibits placed thoughtfully throughout are like treasure waiting to be found. Outdoor exhibits can be realistic, abstract, artistic, functional, informative, or inspirational. Hey, you’re already outside, so the sky is truly the limit!
Here are a few more examples below to give you some ideas. Check out our Flickr photo albums for even more inspiration.