Value of Guest Interaction in Touch Pools at Public Aquariums

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the effectiveness of interactive exhibits at instilling conservation behaviors and appreciation towards wildlife. Aquarium visitors completed a survey prior to visiting an interactive exhibit that allowed them to touch aquatic invertebrate species. After visiting the exhibit, participants were asked to complete another survey. Comparison of pre- and post-test measures revealed that the aquatic interaction increased how knowledgeable individuals felt about aquatic wildlife (Cohen's d=0.52, p<0.001) and the likelihood that participants felt they would take action to protect aquatic wildlife (d=0.60, p<0.001). The aquatic interaction, however, had only a small effect on how much participants valued aquatic wildlife (d=0.20, NS) and virtually no effect on how strongly participants felt about the importance of protecting aquatic wildlife (d=0.01, NS). The study also demonstrated that visitors who had prior interactive experiences with zoo or aquarium animals indicated higher knowledge of wildlife than those who had not previously engaged in such experiences (d=0.46, p=0.02).