The Amphitheater and Discovery Zone provides an area for visitors that has been identified by the Wonder Gardens team as “missing”. The area is intended to supplement the existing animal and botanical exhibits. The Discovery Zone is located between the Gator Hole and Grandma’s House or where the existing Barn structure is currently located. To construct the Discovery Zone, the Barn will need to be demolished. From the Discovery Zone, while playing, visitors can see and hear the Macaws and the Alligators. The area is divided into three activity nodes: Active Play Area, Amphitheater, and a Dino Dig. Combined, they create a very strong zone that likely will be popular especially with younger visitors. The Amphitheater is intended to hold twenty-five to thirty visitors, be shaded, and have a small animal holding as part of the stage. Staff will develop several different programs that might last fifteen to twenty-five minutes. The space is also intended to be used by school groups and children participating in summer camps. The Dino Dig is a small area where families can borrow “equipment” from Wonder Gardens and search for artifacts hidden in the sand. The Active Play Area should have a strong connection to the animal collection at the Wonder Gardens and encourage children to mimic animal play activities. The message or the activity can then be reinforced by observing the animal behavior. Many other activities can be added to the zone such as musical instruments, gold searching stations and water play as shown in the accompanying images.
