Visitor Interest in a Jellies 2002 Special Exhibition

This research was conducted to inform the planning process for a new jellies exhibit at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The main issues investigated were: (1) Are visitors interested in interpretive information about jellies or is it only important to have an esthetically attractive exhibit?; (2) What esthetic features are most appealing?; and (3) What kinds of information and ways of presenting information are most enticing to visitors?

A sample of 195 aquarium visitors was interviewed upon leaving The Outer Bay, after seeing the current jellies exhibits in the Jellies-Drifters Gallery (everyone in this sample has some experience viewing jellies).