Silver Oaks Transforms Exhibit at Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo

Silver Oaks redesigned the Farm-in-the-Zoo Presented by John Deere at Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo – energizing the entire three-acre site with new signage, a new logo and a totally new floor plan. The culmination of 18 months of planning, researching, writing, recording, animating and programming is nothing short of dazzling. The zoo's Main Barn (first built in 1965) is now an interactive learning center filled with engaging activities for children of all ages.

Partnering with the zoo staff and the architects who redesigned the farm's buildings, public spaces and landscaping, Silver Oaks brought its unique creative production capabilities to the project, incorporating technology with hands-on activities.

Visitors entering the Main Barn are immersed in the feel of a Midwestern farm. Here, they can climb aboard a real John Deere tractor, plant root vegetables in a make-believe tractor garden, and experience how harsh weather conditions affect Midwest crops.

Throughout the barn, educational messages about farm life are presented in unique ways.

Stewards of the Land – Visitors can drive a tractor across a huge 42-inch touch-screen farm, discovering how farmers help conserve land and water resources.

The A-maize-ing Bushel – Touch-screen DVD technology, 2D animation and full screen video combine for a fascinating look at corn production and products. A fact-filled trivia game is also a bushel of fun.

Be A Bee – 3D animated bees are part of an interactive program designed to illustrate the fascinating life and many jobs of honeybees.

Seed Sorting – Housed in the actual seed bins of a real John Deere planter, three touch screens are available for children to sort corn, soybean and sunflower seeds by shape and color, then see them grow via timelapse videos.

Along the brightly-colored murals inside the barn, visitors discover unique animal habitats designed by Silver Oaks, including a chick hatchery and live beehive. Visitors must look more carefully to find the mice cage hidden in the burlap sacks stacked along the wall or the corn snake curled up in the bottom of an old tractor tire.

Silver Oaks designed the new Farm-in-the-Zoo logo, which is vividly represented on banners that line Chicago streets leading to the front gate, as well as all Farm-in-the-Zoo advertising materials and memorabilia including t-shirts and hats. Silver Oaks also designed all the signage on the grounds as well as in the other farm buildings.

Silver Oaks proudly invites you to visit the Farm-in-the-Zoo Presented by John Deere and see for yourself how a little imagination and a lot of technical expertise can turn a small corner of urban Chicago into a rural farm experience. The zoo is open every day of the year and is free to the public.