Exhibit Design and Visitor Behavior: Empirical Relationships
Abstract
Measurements of visitor behavior were collected at selected exhibits in 13 zoos throughout the United States. Percentage of visitors who stopped at each exhibit and the duration of visitor viewing time were obtained at exhibits of various species. Visitor behavior was found to correlate with both the characteristics of animals (animal activity, size of species, presence of infant) and the architectural characteristics of the exhibits (presence of visually competing exhibits, proximity of visitor to animal, visibility of animals, physical features of the exhibit). These finding have several implications for designing zoo exhibits.
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The overall average dwell time for visitors was 30 s when animals were inactive and 60 s when animals were active.
“This was chosen for practical reasons and previous studies that have investigated the dwell time of visitors at various zoo animal exhibits, found that while there were differences between species, the overall average dwell time for visitors was 30 s when animals were inactive and 60 s when animals were active [44,45].”
From Effect of Covering a Visitor Viewing Area Window on the Behaviour of Zoo-Housed Little Penguins (Eudyptula minor) (2020) · cites this paper as [44]
Across all taxa at all study zoos, visitors spent more time watching animals when they were active than when they were inactive.
“For example, Bitgood et al. [74] found that across all taxa at all study zoos, visitors spent more time watching animals when they were active than when they were inactive.”
From The visitor effect on zoo animals: implications and opportunities for zoo animal welfare (2019) · cites this paper as [74]
There is good evidence that visitors spend more time with and attend more to active animals.
“there is indeed good evidence that visitors spend more time with and attend more to active animals (Bitgood et al 1988;Altman 1998).”
From Zoo animals and their human audiences: what is the visitor effect? (2000) · cites this paper as Bitgood et al 1988
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Animal–visitor interactions in the modern zoo: Conflicts and interventions
Fernandez, E. J., Tamborski, M. A., Pickens, S. R., & Timberlake, W. (2009) · Applied Animal Behaviour Science · doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2009.06.002 · Cited by 311 · see citing works
The visitor effect on zoo animals: implications and opportunities for zoo animal welfare
Sherwen, S. L., & Hemsworth, P. H. (2019) · Animals · doi:10.3390/ani9060366 · Cited by 267 · see citing works
Zoo animals and their human audiences: what is the visitor effect?
Hosey, G. R. (2000) · Animal Welfare · doi:10.1017/s0962728600022946 · Cited by 249 · see citing works
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Carr, N. (2016) · Tourism Management · doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2016.05.013 · Cited by 58 · see citing works
Chiew, S. J., Butler, K. L., Sherwen, S. L., Coleman, G. J., Melfi, V., Burns, A., & Hemsworth, P. H. (2020) · Animals · doi:10.3390/ani10071224 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
- Authors
- Bitgood, S., Patterson, D., & Benefield, A.
- Affiliations
- Jacksonville State University (US)
- Venue
- Environment and Behavior
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 1988-07
- Volume
- 20
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 474-491
- ISSN
- 0013-9165 (ISSN-L)
- 1552-390X
- OpenAlex
- W2035509340
- Cited by
- 185
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 9
- FWCI
- 47.24
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Environment and Behavior (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Museology › Museums and Cultural Heritage
- Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Animal and Plant Science Education
- Keywords
- zoo exhibits, exhibition design, visitor behavior, viewing time, animal characteristics, animal activity
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