Traveling Through Nebraska: Henry Doorly Zoo Murals
Located in Omaha, Nebraska, the Henry Doorly Zoo is home to a vast array of wildlife, from the world's largest indoor swamp to the Kingdoms of the Night exhibit, the world's largest indoor swamp. The zoo, however, also boasts an impressive collection of murals that add to the immersive experience it offers to visitors. One of the lesser-known attractions within the Henry Doorly Zoo are its large-scale murals that transport visitors into the world of the animals they are there to see.
The Henry Doorly Zoo murals are primarily the brainchild of artist Mark Marcuson and are meant to complement the zoo's many exhibits. One such mural is the 'Desert Dome's' large entrance mural showing the beauty of the desert landscapes. It is part of a larger collection of murals that encompass everything from an Asian garden scene with pagodas and an elephant in the Kingdoms of the Night exhibit to a shark-filled wall of the world's largest aquarium, the Scott Aquarium at the zoo.
In particular, Mark Marcuson's Desert Dome mural deserves special attention. Spanning 40 feet high and 60 feet long, the massive mural depicts a desert landscape with cardinals and orioles perched atop an outcropping of rock. It serves as the gateway to the world's largest indoor rainforest. In a world where immersion is everything in creating engaging experiences, these murals enable the Henry Doorly Zoo to give its guests a sense of place that a simple exhibit sign does not. Another example is the King Penguins mural near the Antarctica – penguins exhibit at the zoo, expertly capturing the massive King Penguins in one of their familiar habitats – displaying large flocks on an icy coastline.
As of today, between 2004 and 2009, Mark Marcuson created six beautiful murals throughout the zoo. These outstanding murals in and around the animal exhibits don't merely make for a visually striking addition to the exhibits, but they also have educational value by serving as context clues, enriching the information about the various animal species and ecosystems the world has to offer. At the Pahurat Asian Market, the zoo also commissioned Mark Marcuson's distinct murals, of Asian architecture, flowers, gardens, etc., and also exhibits a plethora of local plants. At every exhibit, there is an experience that leaves its visitors in awe and better informed about the ecology.
Henry Doorly Zoo murals showcase beautiful examples of immersive storytelling – and that they can evoke a much-needed atmosphere to take their guests to an entirely new world is truly commendable. It truly requires talents similar to Mark Marcuson's for attractions to cater to a variety of tastes and sensibilities while still addressing an educational mandate to inform on wildlife and species their visitors encounter.
The zoo's carefully preserved murals are not merely a sideshow – one of several – to experience in passing, rather an enduring hallmark integral to that zoo's legacy. That they function as such unique educational exhibits is undoubtedly deeply rooted in how people, even in situations completely unassociated, appreciate storytelling – with the atmosphere at that animal experience setting, it helps preserve or cultivate that, making the zoo visit into a 'life-long' one.
The impact that these Henry Doorly Zoo murals wield on storytelling and 'immersing an atmosphere to life' – providing them with an element which sets wildlife experiences aside from the rest – have an immense impact on a variety of tastes and personalities, cultivating an intriguing approach which combines education, wildlife, and a one-of-a-kind storytelling art form.
The Henry Doorly Zoo murals are primarily the brainchild of artist Mark Marcuson and are meant to complement the zoo's many exhibits. One such mural is the 'Desert Dome's' large entrance mural showing the beauty of the desert landscapes. It is part of a larger collection of murals that encompass everything from an Asian garden scene with pagodas and an elephant in the Kingdoms of the Night exhibit to a shark-filled wall of the world's largest aquarium, the Scott Aquarium at the zoo.
In particular, Mark Marcuson's Desert Dome mural deserves special attention. Spanning 40 feet high and 60 feet long, the massive mural depicts a desert landscape with cardinals and orioles perched atop an outcropping of rock. It serves as the gateway to the world's largest indoor rainforest. In a world where immersion is everything in creating engaging experiences, these murals enable the Henry Doorly Zoo to give its guests a sense of place that a simple exhibit sign does not. Another example is the King Penguins mural near the Antarctica – penguins exhibit at the zoo, expertly capturing the massive King Penguins in one of their familiar habitats – displaying large flocks on an icy coastline.
As of today, between 2004 and 2009, Mark Marcuson created six beautiful murals throughout the zoo. These outstanding murals in and around the animal exhibits don't merely make for a visually striking addition to the exhibits, but they also have educational value by serving as context clues, enriching the information about the various animal species and ecosystems the world has to offer. At the Pahurat Asian Market, the zoo also commissioned Mark Marcuson's distinct murals, of Asian architecture, flowers, gardens, etc., and also exhibits a plethora of local plants. At every exhibit, there is an experience that leaves its visitors in awe and better informed about the ecology.
Henry Doorly Zoo murals showcase beautiful examples of immersive storytelling – and that they can evoke a much-needed atmosphere to take their guests to an entirely new world is truly commendable. It truly requires talents similar to Mark Marcuson's for attractions to cater to a variety of tastes and sensibilities while still addressing an educational mandate to inform on wildlife and species their visitors encounter.
The zoo's carefully preserved murals are not merely a sideshow – one of several – to experience in passing, rather an enduring hallmark integral to that zoo's legacy. That they function as such unique educational exhibits is undoubtedly deeply rooted in how people, even in situations completely unassociated, appreciate storytelling – with the atmosphere at that animal experience setting, it helps preserve or cultivate that, making the zoo visit into a 'life-long' one.
The impact that these Henry Doorly Zoo murals wield on storytelling and 'immersing an atmosphere to life' – providing them with an element which sets wildlife experiences aside from the rest – have an immense impact on a variety of tastes and personalities, cultivating an intriguing approach which combines education, wildlife, and a one-of-a-kind storytelling art form.
