Skip to main content Skip to page footer

Interactive Educational Installations Zoo Leipzig

On behalf of Zoo Leipzig GmbH
Period Since 2016
  • Learning Stations
  • Edutainment
  • Exhibition Design

The Leipzig Zoo is one of the most modern and innovative zoos in the world. The 'Zoo of the Future' concept combines species-appropriate animal husbandry and unique experiences for zoo guests. Since 2016, with our various learning stations, we have been helping to ensure that a visit to the Zoo is more than just shallow entertainment: Playful, lovingly staged information elements inspire sustainably and sharpen the understanding of species and environmental protection in everyday life.

Scenographic learning station at the zoo on the subject of ostriches

Experience, Play, Understand

Learning through Edutainment

Edutainment means the combination of education and enter­tainment that aims to increase motivation to learn and make learning more successful. Educational institutions such as Zoo Leipzig use this approach to sensitise visitors to the protection and conser­vation of animal species and habitats. Instead of explana­tory panels that always look the same, there are now varied, interactive, multi-­sensory learning games to convey content for young and old.

Infographic on the topic: Scenography and exhibition design

"The team at ungestalt knows exactly how to communicate educational content in a playful manner and equip authentic theme worlds."

Johannes Becker, construction manager at Leipzig Zoo

Four planning steps for a scenographic learning station

Process learning station

⬤
"Learning with head, heart and hand" is our guiding principle for good learning stations. And whether it's a single learning station or the educational design of an entire world of experience: these project steps always lead us to a successful result.

From Pantanal to Patagonia

Interactive Educational Installations South America

In 2018, the first section of the World of Experience South America opened. The habitats Pantanal, Pampa, and Patagonia are home to their naturally occurring animal species, which we bring closer to visitors with six interactive educational installations. "The path through nature to an abandoned settlement" is the narrative dramaturgy that the overall design of the adventure world follows. We also played a key role in the construction of the scenery and the scenography (full case here).

Scenographic 3D topography of South America map made of wood

Natural materials

⬤
The look and feel of the South America map with its 3D topography immediately place visitors in the right setting for the new world of experience. In addition, the characteristic differences in the altitude of the continent are made clear.
Scenographic learning station at the zoo shows acoustically different animal voices

Learning station Tierstimmenwand

⬤
At the learning station Tierstimmenwand, animal voices are shown playfully. From Pantanal to Pampa to Patagonia, it's all here!
Scenographic learning station in the zoo shows illustrations of the animals from Patagonia

Animal voices wall Patagonia

⬤
The learning station consists of an explanatory board with a photo collage showing animals in their natural habitat, alongside pressable buttons that play the corresponding animal's sound. All materials, including the audio electrics, are weatherproof and highly durable.
Wooden walkway with integrated learning station in the South America experience at Leipzig Zoo

Safari quiz

⬤
Even from a distance, the colorful learning stations attract visitors to the maned wolf and anteater, two animal species in the South America Adventure World at Leipzig Zoo.
scenographic infographic at Leipzig Zoo shows an anteater foraging for food

Anteater learning station

⬤
The learning station explains how the anteater is a food specialist that feeds on insects and that it is not the only creature in the animal kingdom that eats in this way.
Sketch of termite mound on paper

Theory

⬤
The game of tongues in the form of a termite mound at the eye height of children...
Realistically designed termite mound at children's height as part of the exhibition design

Practice

⬤
...is an exciting and eye-catching interactive task.
Safari quiz game style infographic designed with animal pictures and illustrations.

Learning station Maned Wolf

⬤
The learning station conveys information with an explanatory panel, and a child-level mix and match game. To the right is an interactive safari quiz game for the whole family.
Image of a wolf in the form of a scenographically embedded combination game

Combination play

⬤
All learning stations are made from robust, durable, weather-resistant materials and construction. So thousands of enthusiastic children's hands can tug and tear without breaking anything.
Scenographic learning station at the zoo on the subject of ostriches

Nandu learning station

⬤
"The path from naturalness to the abandoned settlement" is the narrative dramaturgy that the overall design of the South America experience follows. At the Nandu learning station, this becomes clear through the use of man-made, seemingly weathered materials.

"South America is growing: the Tierra del Fuego theme world will be a new home for Humboldt penguins and seals by 2022."

Online article from the city of Leipzig

Different egg sizes compared

Egg parade

⬤
Making reference to the known in order to convey new...
scenographic learning station in the zoo on the topic of ostriches
...is what happens when comparing egg sizes at the Nandu learning station.

On the Roof of the World

Interactive Educational Installation Himalaya

In 2017, the Himalayan Rockscape opened, home to snow leopards, red pandas, and northern bald ibis. We conceived, designed, and built four interactive educational installations that integrate into the overall natural design of the themed world. Regional-cultural design elements such as the impression of Tibetan prayer wheels, the construction of the roof shingles, and the use of authentic characters and symbols round off the learning content scenographically. 

Buddhist prayer flags as part of the exhibition design of the Himalayan rocky landscape.

Cultural Design Elements of the Himalaya

⬤
Buddhist prayer flags as part of the exhibition design of the Himalayan rocky landscape.
scenographic learning station at Leipzig Zoo shows snow leopards

The Spirit of the Mountains

⬤
A section of the Snow Leopard Learning Station in the Himalayan Adventure World at Leipzig Zoo explains how the snow leopard has adapted to hunting at a high altitude. We also demonstrate its camouflage ability and running technique through interactive elements.
Scanimation as part of scenographic learning station shows the running technique of a snow leopard

Interactive Learning

⬤
The self-operated scanimation has a simple, mechanical construction. It shows in a frame-by-frame process, the running technique of a snow leopard.
scenographic learning station at Leipzig Zoo shows snow leopards in the Himalayas

Landscape Immersion

⬤
The look of weathering Himalayan cedar surrounded by deceptively real-looking artificial rocks...
Man operates element which is part of snow leopard learning station
...allows visitors to become immersed in the world of experience.
Image of a jumping snow leopard in real size as part of the exhibition design at Leipzig Zoo

Who is lurking there?

⬤
Learning happens in different ways, therefore it's important to offer a variety of informative elements. The snow leopard learning station has not only interactive wall panels, but has a jumping snow leopard on the side of the path as well.
Man jumps up in front of the scenographic image of the snow leopard

Jump!

⬤
To understand something new, it helps to compare it with something familiar. For example, the long jump game compares...
the designed infographic relates the jumping power of a snow leopard to the human jumping power
...the jumping power of the snow leopard with that of the world record holder and your own.
Scenographic learning station at Leipzig Zoo shows two Tibetan prayer wheels in combination of a discovery flap

Learning station Red Panda

⬤
Regional and cultural design elements such as the appearance of Tibetan prayer wheels, the construction of the roof shingles, and authentic characters and symbols add the finishing scenographic touch to the learning content.
Scenographic learning station at Leipzig Zoo shows panda's discovery flap

Discovery Flaps

⬤
Touchable replicas of bamboo and feces inform the guests about the red panda's diet and digestion. Hidden behind discovery flaps, they are an interactive element of the Red Panda learning station!
two scenographic tibetan prayer wheels in the shell

Before

⬤
The shell of the Tibetan prayer wheels is still unspectacular.
two scenographic Tibetan prayer wheels as part of the final exhibition design

After

⬤
Special finishing gives the wood the right look.
Scenographic learning station at Leipzig Zoo shows illustrated infographics about the bird species vulture and bald ibis

Vulture and bald ibis

⬤
Due to construction constraints, the Vulture and Bald ibis learning station is free standing. It consists of an illustrated explanatory board, a rotating slide viewer device, and a beak game.
rotating slide viewer

Climb, turn, look

⬤
Exciting visual material hides behind the rotating slide viewer.
Image of a domestic chicken as part of the designed infographic

Match!

⬤
In the beak game, you assign different beaks to their bird genera.
scenographic learning station playfully shows the different beak shapes of the vulture, bald ibis and domestic chicken at Leipzig Zoo

Beak Question

⬤
The beak game again compares the familiar (domestic chicken) with the new (vulture and bald ibis), this time in terms of their beak shapes.

From a Land
Down Under

Koala House Interactive Educational Installations

2016 the Koala House opened. We con­ceived, designed, and built an interactive educational installa­tion that integrates into the existing aboriginal facade design of the new building complex. The interactive, multi-sensory prepa­ration of learning content was achieved, among other things, through a eucalyptus-­smelling station, a hot-wire game that shows the everyday dangers koalas face, and several discovery flaps that convey the most important information in the form of a question-­and-answer game.

designed infographic about koalas in aboriginal style

Koala House Learning Station

⬤
We conceptualized, designed, and built a learning station that visually integrates with the existing Aboriginal facade design of the new building complex.
Creative design of a scenographic backdrop construction

Detailed Design

⬤
After the design planning, we come to the details: millimeter-accurate dimensions and material selection.
3D model of the planned educational game the hot wire

Theory

⬤
3D models visualize planned learning games, like the hot-wire game in the koala house here.
interactive game the hot wire in action

Practice

⬤
The finished game works perfectly, is durable and weatherproof.
Scenographic koala learning station framed in the shape of three eucalyptus trees

Using all the senses

⬤
Preparation of interactive, multi-sensory learning content includes a eucalyptus-smelling station, the hot-wire game that stages the daily dangers of koalas, and discovery flaps that convey information as a question-and-answer game.

Direct contact for Scenography & Print

Torsten Schaumburg

t.schaumburg@ungestalt.de

Not enough yet?

Zoo Leipzig

⬤
South American flavored Edutainment

Zoo Leipzig

⬤
orientation system temporary exhibition dinosaurs

Staatsbetrieb Sachsenforst

⬤
signage system and integrated visitor communication