London Zoo is the world’s oldest scientific zoo, and it’s been open to the public since 1847. However, though 2015 saw a small uplift in visitor numbers, the zoo saw itself slip in the rankings in Visit England’s Annual Visitor Attractions survey last year. So we got our heads together to try and come up with some ideas that could enhance the experience of visiting the zoo, to boost repeat visits as well as driving more customer recommendations.

2. More than just
a wild day out

3. The Brief
- London Zoo is the world’s oldest
scientific zoo, open to the public
since 1847
- It has slipped down UK’s most
popular attraction list (8th in
2013)
- Plans to expand into other
entertainment areas have fallen
flat, and new attractions are
expensive
- Improve and build upon the
current visitor experience at
London Zoo

4. TEAM 1
RESPONSE
1 HOUR LATER

5. Enhance the
experience digitally
APPROACH
Use smartphones and new technology to
make the experience more interactive,
giving visitors more chances to create
memories they want to share and relive.

6. London Zookeeper App
‘Follow’ animals from the zoo, and
get updates about news and events
that might be of interest - and use it
to schedule trips for feeding time
or the birth of a new animal.
Play the game too, by digitally
looking after your favourite animals
in the zookeeper app when you get
home - high scorers can win real
experiences at the zoo.

7. Make your
own wildlife
documentary
Use a booth at
certain enclosures
to record your own
short animal doc.
Choose the camera
angles and do your
own voiceover, then
email it to friends
or share it on
Facebook.

8. David Attenborough
Zoologist Diploma
Download the Traces
app (an existing app
available on the app
store) to find content
and questions in
bubbles as you
explore the zoo.
Complete the quiz
and qualify for your
diploma - and pose
in costume with
your scroll!

9. Virtual Reality
Enclosure
Experiences
Stand on a moving
platform and view
landscapes from
the view of one
of the animals.
Swim under
Arctic ice at the
seal enclosure or
swing through the
jungle canopy as
an orangutan.

10. TEAM 2
RESPONSE

11. Improve the
existing experience
APPROACH
Make a trip to the zoo more exciting and
engaging, by improving the educational
elements and giving visitors a chance to
see the animals in a whole new way.

12. Viewing Pods
Sink convex viewing
stations into the base
of some enclosures,
giving visitors a better
view of the animals.
The pods can
be accessed
by tunnels.

13. Family Treasure Hunt
Making a trip more absorbing and educational.
Clues are hidden, both online and offline, around the zoo.

14. Night Vision Tours
Experience a
different side of
the zoo after dark,
thanks to night
vision goggles.

15. Bite-sized Productions:
The Lion King
Watch a 20-minute mini-production, then go and see the
real kings of the animal kingdom in their enclosure.
Exclusive deal to see the West End version the same night.

16. Attenborough Experiences
The zoo hosts exclusive live
talks from David Attenborough,
as well as recorded audio tours
to guide visitors around.

17. EARNEST-LABS.COM