I chose to observe spectators viewing the ‘Lives in the Balance: Endangered Species’ and ‘The Dzanga-Sangha Rainforest’ exhibits for this assignment. The first exhibit, ‘Lives in the Balance: Endangered Species’, consists of a large glass box with several true-to-size replicas of several endangered animals, such as the Giant Panda and Dugong. The rainforest diorama is a recreation of part of the actual rainforest in the Central African Republic, complete with dozens of animals both hidden and visible within the plants and terrain.

During the 15 minutes that I observed the Endangered Species case, 49 visitors had viewed the exhibit, the majority of which were elementary school students. This exhibit was shared the center of the Hall of Biodiversity with the rainforest, making it an easily accessible location that individuals can quickly glance at while they browse the place. Most of those who viewed the case were interested in the larger animals in the display, particularly the Siberian Tiger. This tiger captured the attention of both adults and children with its massive body weight and intimidating stance. Many people crouched down to view its open jaw. Visitors were amazed at how lifelike the replica was, with several children asking “if it’s real”. Tigers are animals that many of us become very familiar with from an early age, which could be one of the reasons why it attracted more attention than the dugong and dodo bird. I’ve witness three of the teachers who passed by with their classes teach their students about endangered species, explaining to them that despite the tiger’s impressive body, it is still threatened due to factors like habitat loss and hunting.

I tallied 56 visitors while observing the rainforest diorama for 15 minutes. Once again, there were visitors of all ages visiting with their classes or with friends and family. Many children stretched over the metal railing to try and locate as many animals as possible. They were able to notice birds and other reptiles that I hadn’t been able to spot, despite having visited this replica a number of times throughout the past few years. As with the Endangered Species case, teachers who came through here with their classes taught their students about the display–they explained the features of the rainforest and how a large variety of animals can reside in them, making them valuable ecosystems. The information plaques were a bit difficult to read in the dark, but 20 of the individuals who passed by stopped to read them.

I believe both of these exhibits are great educational tools. The endangered species exhibit that showcases a few of the many endangered species on Earth is exciting to look at, especially because it contains terrestrial, marine, and arboreal animals from different parts of the world. The rainforest exhibit is a unique display in how it depicts the biodiversity of a region that is threatened by human interference. By replicating the density of the forest and richness of species, people can take simply take a walk through this pathway and momentarily feel as though they are visiting the Dzanga Sangha rainforest.