Animal Exhibit: Peregrine Falcon
Exhibit Design
Scale: 1/2 inch = 1 foot
Dimension: 30 x 40 x 20 inches
Material: paper, wood, bluefoam, stucco, vellum, acrylic
This exhibit tells a rich story about peregrine falcon from the perspective of the human-falcon relationship.
Exhibit top view
Exhibit front view
The story starts with ancient falconry, which talks about the companionship our human ancestors developed with peregrine falcons in hunting activities and consequently the symbolic meanings the birds have in different cultures.
First floor: ancient falconry, anatomy
The second part of the exhibit explains the birds’ extraordinary hunting ability from an anatomical perspective. This part also explains what they eat and how they mate and reproduce. Then the visitors can choose to walk into the sound library or take the elevator to the second floor.
First floor: anatomy, diet, mating & reproducing, sound library
First floor: diet
First floor: sound library
Second floor: from mountain cliffs to skyscrapers
The second floor talks about peregrines’ migration from mountain cliffs to skyscrapers in the cities. This part includes peregrines’s endangered period in the 1970s due to humans’ excessive use of DDT and the following preservation done by organizations, such as the Peregrine Fund. After that, peregrines gradually migrate to cities because a lot of the captive-bred peregrines were released in cities.
Second floor: nesting on cliffs
Second floor: from mountain cliffs to skyscrapers
Visitors can observe peregrines’ famous dive from both the first and the second floors. A peregrine falcon dives from its nest on the skyscraper to catch its preys in the Diet area, which links the two floors on both content and spatial levels.
Second floor: from mountain cliffs to skyscrapers
Second floor: from mountain cliffs to skyscrapers
First floor: modern falconry
Finally, visitors take another elevator back to the first floor. The last part of the exhibit talks about modern falconry. Promoting falconry as a cultural heritage today helps us connect with our ancestors as well as raise the public’s awareness to protect these amazing birds.