Making engagement easy

by Julia Watson, Auckland Botanic Gardens

How do we make it easy for our visitors to know about the range of  activities they can do at our gardens? Sometimes visitors are simply not aware of all that is on offer, despite a range of signs, posters or info boards.

We have found that listing even simple activities can help visitors make the most of their time at the garden. For example, during our three-month dinosaur events, we produced a ‘7 Dinosaurus things to do’ flyer which was a hit with families. While there were  posters, signs, staff and guides, the way we ‘bundled’ all that was on offer into one simple flyer (almost like a menu to choose from) was very successful.

Something this simple can help new visitors overcome overwhelm, and provide suggestions on how to best enjoy a visit.