Reality. Humanity. Art.
How do we reach today’s guest?
Aquariums and zoos are tasked with connecting guests to species, habitats, and ultimately, a desire to conserve the natural world.
To do that, we must compete for the guest's attention. And what garners attention today?
Screens. Or extraordinary live experiences like concerts.
So we end up at one of two places: new technologies or high-end experiential in the form of new exhibit builds.
Technology is novel and affordable. A new exhibit offers deep and lasting value, but costs a fortune.
So often, instead of creating net new value, we spread our resources peanut butter thin to “elevate the guest experience” - incremental improvements, not truly building.
What if there were another path?
That’s the question The Conservation Studio was created to answer.
We believe that real conservation, done by real people, is the most powerful way to make guests care.
That in the coming age of AI, there is great value in our shared humanity, and in making real things with human hands.
And, finally, that this can be delivered fast, and at low cost compared to new capital investments.
A New Path to Connection
We’re putting those ideas into practice with our first offering: Project Ocean Sole.
Project Ocean Sole is a new traveling exhibit featuring the art of Ocean Sole, a Kenyan conservation effort. They clean beaches and waterways, recover flip-flops from the mess, and transform them into colorful animal sculptures.
The exhibit is built around three ideas: Reality, Humanity, and Art.
Reality
We introduce an urgent threat: plastic pollution. Guests begin on the tragically polluted beaches of Kenya, then head across the seas to learn how plastics harm ocean species and habitats.
Humanity
But what if someone could help? Everyday people (very much like you) work to clean beaches, turning their community and ingenuity into a machine for good.
Art
This transformation—from trash to sculpture, from pollution to awareness—is embodied in the sculptures of sharks, rays, sea turtles, walrus and more.
It asks guests a provocative question: if everyday people in Kenya can find a way to help in the face of a massive problem, what will you do to make a better world?
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As aquariums, zoos and museums seek to connect with today’s guest, they’ll need to try new things, build on what works, and ultimately find a new mix of experiences to make them care and keep them coming back.
If you’re looking for new ways to engage guests, if you’re interested in the role art can play in your institution, or if you just want to chat about the ideas I’ve laid out here, reach out and let’s talk.
