QR Codes in Zoos & Aquariums: Digital Animal Guides

Remember visiting a zoo or aquarium as a child, staring in awe at majestic lions or colorful fish, only to be left wondering about their names, diets, or where they came from? Printed boards were often faded, incomplete, or missing altogether.

Now, imagine being able to instantly access videos, fun facts, conservation efforts, and even an animal’s “personality” right from your phone.

That’s what QR codes make possible.

By scanning a simple square code, visitors can unlock rich, real-time information, turning every exhibit into an immersive, interactive experience. Zoos and aquariums worldwide are embracing QR codes to improve visitor engagement, streamline operations, and promote sustainability.

Why you should use QR codes in zoos and aquariums

Here’s why QR codes are becoming an essential tool for modern zoos and aquariums. 

📝 Enhanced learning

QR codes serve as an instant gateway to digital animal guides, providing comprehensive information about each animal, including their species profiles, dietary habits, conservation status, and more. These codes boost visitors’ engagement by transforming zoo visits into a highly educational journey. 

🔤 Multilingual support

Zoos and aquariums attract visitors from around the globe, which means there may be a potential language barrier for many. QR codes can be an elegant solution to this,  ensuring a more inclusive and accessible experience for everyone. These codes can link to webpages offering multiple language options, allowing visitors to view the content in their preferred language.

⏳️ Real-time updates

QR codes enable zoo administrators to edit or update content in real-time, ensuring visitors always have access to the most current information. For example, a zoo might need to update information linked to a QR code when there are sudden changes in visiting hours or when an animal is moved from one exhibit to another. 

💲 Reduced printing costs and paper waste

Implementing QR codes in zoos and aquariums significantly reduces the reliance on printed signage, resulting in substantial cost savings and minimal paper waste. Hence, a reduced environmental footprint demonstrates a commitment to sustainability and helps these institutions better align with their conservation goals.

Multiple ways to use QR codes in zoos 

Let’s look at how QR codes can be integrated across various touchpoints in zoos to create more engaging, educational, and streamlined visitor experiences. 

Sharing digital animal profiles 

QR codes linked to digital animal profiles offer comprehensive information about the animals, surpassing the limitations of physical signage. Besides basic information like species name, diet, natural habitat, and behavior patterns, these profiles offer fun facts about the animals, interactive stories about them, and even updates on their conservation status, making the visit more engaging and informative.

Offering engaging experiences

QR codes can provide highly engaging and immersive digital experiences. These codes can be linked to virtual zoo tours and field trips, AR-enhanced content such as 3D animal models with lifelike sounds and movements, and interactive, clickable maps to help visitors navigate different parts of the zoo with ease. 

They can also be linked to interactive quizzes, polls, and reward-based games like virtual scavenger hunts. For instance, scanning QR codes placed at different animal exhibits could unlock fun tasks, trivia quizzes, reveal clues for a treasure hunt, or fun poll questions like “Which animal would win the nap contest: the sleepy owl or the lounging sloth? Vote for your favorite now!” 

Furthermore, these codes can redirect to special offers upon scanning, such as exclusive discounts on entry tickets, food court deals, or gift shop coupons, offering enjoyable experiences for everyone. 

Collect visitors’ feedback

Feedback QR codes can be placed near entrances or exit gates, food outlets, digital kiosks, restrooms, or parking lots to allow visitors to quickly share their feedback or thoughts about their overall experience. Their real-time input helps zoo admins understand visitors’ engagement or satisfaction levels, identify areas for improvement, and thus improve their services and offerings.

Offer behind-the-scenes content through social media 

QR codes can offer visitors instant access to exclusive behind-the-scenes content. These codes can be linked to their Instagram stories, Facebook posts, or YouTube shorts, offering glimpses into feeding routines, medical checkups, enrichment activities, or just cute animal moments. It’s a great way to drive social media engagement, grow your follower base, and build an emotional connection with people. Plus, offering this insider access helps build trust and transparency.

Track engagement and improve experiences

Leveraging QR code analytics provides valuable insights into visitor behavior and preferences. For instance, the QR codes can be tracked to see which animal exhibits receive the most scans, what type of content drives the most engagement, and how visitors interact with different campaigns. This data can help zoos identify what doesn’t work, fine-tune their engagement strategies, and deliver more personalized experiences.

Facilitate donations for conservation initiatives

Zoos can use payment QR codes to simplify the online donation process, making payments faster, more secure, and hassle-free. A simple scan can direct visitors to a payment gateway, such as Razorpay or PayPal, or directly to the zoo’s dedicated donation page. This page can feature compelling visuals, real stories, and updates on the ongoing conservation projects, making donors feel connected to the cause.

Promote app downloads 

Zoos can promote their official mobile app through the app download QR code. These codes direct visitors to the app store (such as the Google Play Store or Apple’s App Store) where they can quickly download the particular app. They can place the QR codes at entrances, exits, ticket counters, or on printed materials like flyers and banners for easy visibility. 

Contactless dine-in experiences 

QR codes can also help zoos offer fully contactless dine-in experiences. These codes can be used in the zoo’s food court or restaurant to facilitate food ordering and payments. While menu QR codes enable visitors to view digital food menus directly on their phones, payment QR codes streamline payments, both reducing physical contact, minimizing queues, and offering greater convenience.

Best Practices for Using QR Codes in Zoos & Aquariums

• Use dynamic QR codes for content flexibility.
  
• Ensure scannability with proper size and contrast.
  
• Include your brand logo to reinforce identity.
  
• Place codes at eye level and in high-traffic areas
  
• Use clear instructions or a call-to-action like “Scan to Learn About Me!”
  
• Ensure linked content is mobile-friendly and loads fast.
  
• Promote privacy and security in data collection.
  
• Use tracking tools to measure performance.

Real-world examples: How zoos & aquariums are going paperless with QR codes 

Let’s have a look at how zoos and aquariums around the world are embracing QR codes to reduce paper use, digitize operations, and enhance visitor experiences.

Columbus Zoo promoted mobile app downloads via QR codes 

The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium reimagined the zoo experience for visitors with the launch of a mobile app developed by Attractions.io. For the leading zoological institution, the app’s launch marks a significant step towards its sustainability journey, replacing paper-based usage with a mobile-first approach. 

In a bid to promote app downloads, the zoo volunteers wore badges displaying QR codes that led to the app installation page instantly upon scanning. These codes served as a real-world bridge into the zoo’s digital ecosystem — a great example of using minimal tech for maximum impact. The app offers features such as live navigation, personalized schedules, and push notifications to help create more engaging and interactive zoo experiences. 

Delhi Zoo used QR codes to enrich visitor experiences  

The National Zoological Park in Delhi, also known as the Delhi Zoo, has adopted QR code technology as a new means to facilitate interactive learning experiences. As part of the zoo’s beautification projects, QR codes were installed on trees all across the park. Visitors could scan these codes to access information about various plant species. This move aimed to transform casual strolls across the zoo into highly engaging, educational experiences. 

Final thoughts 

QR codes are more than just a tech tool—they’re transforming zoos and aquariums into smart, sustainable, and interactive environments. From educating the public to collecting donations and enhancing engagement, QR codes simplify and elevate the entire visitor experience.

Frequently asked questions