Display Technology
The Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago wanted to boost the zoo visit experience as well as provide more engaging content to visitors. It tapped Peerless-AV to make it happen.
Photo courtesy of Peerless-AV
March 7, 2025 by Judy Mottl — Editor, RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com
The Lincoln Park Zoo is a well-known historic institution in Chicago, Illinois given its founding in 1868 with a mission to preserve wildlife while also providing educational information to visitors about wildlife preservation and animal life.
But it was facing a challenge many cultural landmarks face at some point — how to modernize and enhance the visitor experience without impacting the natural environment in a negative way and preserve the integrity of its location.
The zoo was searching for a technology that would allow for an improved guest experience as well as modernize how it directed visitors around the zoo, evolving from their original static signage options.
The choice was digital signage as it would allow for more dynamic wayfinding and communication and optimize advertising opportunities for the zoo, according to zoo leadership.
Choosing a digital signage partner
The institution’s leadership initiated a strategy to enhance the guest experience and tap digital signage technology to drive greater communication and programming information across the zoo. It applied for a grant to fund digital signage installation and chose Peerless-AV as the as the manufacturer and integrator.
Peerless-AV designs and manufactures the outdoor displays and TVs, dvLED and LCD video wall systems, complete integrated kiosks, professional carts and stands and more.
Peerless was a local company that captured the zoo’s attention as Peerless-AV’s outdoor displays were brighter, cleaner, and more durable than other devices the zoo reviewed, according to zoo leaders. As conversations with vendors began, Peerless-AV continuously provided detailed customer service and technical support as the final product was designed.
The project, launched in the summer of 2023 and completed in August 2024, included the installation of outdoor kiosks and indoor display mounts to deliver flexible content across high-traffic areas at the zoo.
Challenges in play
Choosing a partner and mapping out a signage strategy didn’t come without some hurdles.
The zoo didn’t want to overwhelm the natural environment and up until the digital signage project it had relied on static signage for wayfinding, events and educational content.
A top challenge was the extreme weather conditions presented in the zoo’s location. Chicago is known for its frigid winters and its humid summers so any digital signage solutions needed to be not only adaptable but durable.
Peerless-AV chose outdoor kiosks and displays designed with exceptional durability and brightness, which allows for optimal visibility in all lighting conditions, whether it’s a bright summer day or a cloudy winter afternoon.
Installation teams implemented digital solutions at key locations throughout the zoo, including entrances, high-traffic pathways and near the zoo gates.
While weather issues were a top challenge to consider, so was the goal to not disrupt the natural lighting patterns of animal enclosures. The digital signage technology and location was designed to avoid any impact to the well-being of the animals.
Peerless-AV worked together with the zoo’s project managers, providing technical assistance, engineering expertise and on-site support during installation.
The zoo’s IT team was involved in the planning, ensuring the existing Wi-Fi infrastructure was robust enough to support the content management system.
Technical specs
The indoor Searle Visitor Center installation included four 75-inch Samsung landscape displays plus the Peerless-AV SmartMount Universal Flat Wall Mounts and a 55-inch Samsung display with a Peerless-AV SmartMount Universal Flat Wall Mount.
The outdoor East Gate area installation included three Peerless-AV Smart City Kiosks with 55″ Xtreme High Bright Outdoor Displays fixed to concrete pedestals. Each was equipped with a Wi-Fi antenna and a BrightSign media player. Two Peerless-AV 75-inch Xtreme High Bright Outdoor Displays (XHB754) and Outdoor Flat Wall Mounts with corrosion resistant coating and stainless-steel hardware were also chosen.
The return on investment
Not only is the zoo providing a more engaging and informative guest experience but it’s also created revenue opportunities via content promotion driving greater participation in zoo events and activities.
The centralized CMS aspect to the signage network allows for quick content updates while also reducing the time and resource needed on managing the prior static signage.
The digital solutions are an upgrade from previous static signage that was dedicated to just one message, according to zoo leaders, who also noted the signage is prompting visitors to invest money back into the zoo due to the eye-catching promotional and advertising content for special events.
Tips, insight on digital signage deployment
The zoo and Peerless-AV determined digital signage technology choices and deployment location based on the project goals. That meant it needed to be placed in high-traffic areas for best visibility, according to Rob Meiner, technical sales engineer at Peerless-AV.
«Additionally, the zoo did not want to disrupt normal patterns of light and risk disturbing the well-being of animals, so the placement of the signage had to be strategic,» Meiner said in an email interview.
«One concern was whether or not the on-site Wi-Fi network would be robust enough for wireless communication between the CMS and solutions. The zoo and the installation team opted for a wired connection just in case. They also wanted to be mindful of the plants and botanic gardens when choosing a place for the installation.»
Choosing the best partner is a key to success in digital signage projects, said Meiner.
«Organizations should seek an established manufacturer with a proven success history of the type of installation they are looking for. Partners that not only offer custom installation manufacturing, but also in-depth customer service and digital signage knowledge allow the results to be optimized to the needs of the organization while also being future-proofed and durable,» he said.
He also stressed that in seeking a digital signage solution organizations should not apply a «one size fits all’ approach.
«Brands must consider the goal, the placement and the content of the digital signage solution to ensure the best optimization,» said Meiner. «Be sure to invest only in outdoor-certified signage if the installation will be exposed to environmental elements to provide the best image quality and durability for the long run. «
About Judy Mottl
Judy Mottl is editor of Retail Customer Experience and Digital Signage Today. She has decades of experience as a reporter, writer and editor covering technology and business for top media including AOL, InformationWeek, InternetNews and Food Truck Operator.
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Peerless-AV is a leading designer and manufacturer of audio visual solutions, including award-winning outdoor displays and TVs, indoor/outdoor kiosks, video wall mounting systems, and more.
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