ZSL London Zoo Case Study | Weatherproof A-Board Signs
1.2M Visitors. 36 Acres.
One Outdoor Signage Challenge.
ZSL London Zoo chose four weather-resistant black A-boards to support visitor wayfinding across its 36-acre Regent's Park site.
ZSL London Zoo is not a small visitor attraction with a few signs by the entrance. Opened in 1828, it is the world's first scientific zoo: a 36-acre outdoor site on the northern edge of Regent's Park welcoming more than 1.2 million visitors a year.
That scale creates a simple but unforgiving signage challenge. Families need to find habitats, talks, toilets, cafes, exits and seasonal routes quickly, often in busy walkways and unpredictable British weather. When signage is unclear, too flimsy or out of place, it creates hesitation at junctions, more questions for staff and a poorer visit.
For its outdoor pavement signage, ZSL London Zoo chose Displaysense's A1 weather-resistant black A-board: a double-sided, weatherproof pavement sign built to guide visitors clearly while respecting the heritage setting around it.
- ZSL London Zoo is the world's first scientific zoo, opened in 1828 and set across 36 acres of Regent's Park
- A fully outdoor attraction welcoming over 1.2 million visitors a year depends on clear, weatherproof wayfinding
- The order included four weather-resistant pavement signs to support outdoor visitor wayfinding
- The satin black finish suits a heritage setting without competing with it
- Rigid HDPE boards and a sealed aluminium frame are built for year-round outdoor use
- Tool-free poster changes let staff refresh directions or visitor information in moments
The Brief Behind an Outdoor Attraction's Signage
Look closer and the demands get specific. The route is long and mostly open to the sky, paths get busy at peak times, and the heritage setting means the hardware should never shout louder than the message. A sign that looks cheap, fades in the sun or topples in the wind is not a small problem at an attraction where the whole day is spent outdoors.
That points to a clear set of needs, and to why a weather-resistant black A-board is such a natural fit.
- Weatherproof construction for a full day outdoors, in any season
- A stable base that holds on paths, paving and uneven ground
- Clear A1 visibility for visitors moving on foot, including families
- A finish that suits a heritage setting without drawing attention to itself
- Fast, tool-free poster changes for directions and seasonal information
- Hard-wearing build designed for long-term use in busy outdoor settings
- Corrosion-resistant aluminium frame with protective seals for outdoor use
- Heavy build, around 14.5kg, for stability on busy paths
- Double-sided A1 poster area, readable from both directions
- Satin black finish that frames the poster and cuts sun glare
- Tool-free covers with a hidden locking mechanism for quick, secure swaps
- Rigid HDPE boards that resist warping, built to last
The Product They Chose
The A1 weather-resistant black A-board is Displaysense's best-selling pavement sign, and it has earned that position through steady, day-after-day performance in front of shops, cafes, restaurants, surgeries, schools and visitor sites across the UK. It met what an outdoor attraction needs without fuss. For London Zoo, the appeal was not just that the board could stand outside, but that it could do so without looking temporary, flimsy or out of place. The black frame matters here: it lets the visitor message stand out while the hardware recedes into the background.
Why Weather Resistance Is the Whole Point
Standard A-boards with open poster channels or untreated frames struggle outdoors. Posters lift, frames corrode and printed graphics fade. For a site that is open to the elements all day, that is not an option. The PSPLBK answers each of those failure points with a sealed aluminium frame, rigid HDPE boards and protected PET covers, so a sign that looks sharp at opening still looks sharp at closing. For prolonged heavy rain, waterproof polypropylene or laminated prints add a further layer of protection.
The Result
ZSL London Zoo added weather-resistant pavement signage to support visitor wayfinding across its 36-acre outdoor attraction.
For a site welcoming more than 1.2 million visitors a year, the signs offered a practical combination of visibility, stability and weather resistance. The black finish helped the hardware sit neatly within the setting, while the A1 double-sided poster area gave staff a clear format for displaying directions, visitor information or seasonal messages.
The result is a flexible outdoor signage solution suited to one of the UK's most recognisable visitor attractions.
Where Pavement Signs Earn Their Place at an Attraction
Exactly where any individual sign ends up is for the zoo's team to decide, but across an outdoor attraction of this kind, pavement signs tend to do their most useful work in a few familiar places.
Near the gates and ticketing queues, a clear A-board sets the tone and points arriving visitors toward the start of their route, opening times and the day's key information before they have even set off.
At forks in the path and busy crossroads, a sign at eye level gives a confident steer between habitats, exhibits and the next part of the route, which keeps families moving and reduces the backtracking that builds congestion on a big site.
Directing people to the cafes, restaurant, toilets, baby-changing and first aid is bread-and-butter work for a pavement sign, placed at the junctions where people start looking for them.
Keeper talks, animal feeding times, conservation trails, temporary exhibit routes and school-holiday events all change often, so the message on a sign needs to keep up with the day and the season.
As the day winds down, signs help steer visitors toward the gift shop and the exits, easing the end-of-day flow off a large site.
Why ZSL London Zoo Chose Displaysense
For a major outdoor attraction, signage has to do more than display a message. It needs to remain clear, stable and presentable through busy visitor days, changing weather and regular poster updates.
The A1 weather-resistant black A-board offered a practical fit for ZSL London Zoo's outdoor wayfinding needs. Its double-sided A1 display area gives visitor messages strong visibility from both directions, while the weather-resistant construction helps protect posters from the elements.
The satin black finish was also important for the setting. At a heritage attraction in Regent's Park, the hardware should support the visitor message without drawing unnecessary attention to itself.
Proven in the field. It is Displaysense's best-selling pavement sign, already working outside thousands of UK shops, cafes, surgeries and visitor sites.
Right for the setting. The understated satin black sits comfortably against a heritage backdrop, where a brighter, busier sign would not.
A considered look, sensible cost. The finish and build feel deliberate without the price tag of a bespoke specification.
Simple to specify and reorder. A stocked, standard product means more can be added whenever they are needed, with no fresh spec each time.
A supplier that knows the sector. Displaysense works with attractions and venues across the UK, with free specification advice and next-day delivery on stocked lines.
Beyond the Zoo: Outdoor Signage for Every Visitor Setting
The needs London Zoo has, weatherproofing, high footfall, an outdoor setting and fast content changes, are shared by all sorts of public-facing venues. The choice is always the same one: functional and generic, or purposeful and built to last. The difference is not always the cost, but it is always visible.
From single attractions to large multi-site operators, Displaysense helps venue managers specify outdoor signage that suits the setting it serves.
- Free display specification advice from our team
- Volume pricing for multi-unit and multi-site orders
- Full range of A-board sizes, finishes and configurations
- Free UK mainland delivery, next-day on stocked items
Browse Displaysense's full range of weather-resistant A-boards and outdoor pavement signs, or speak to the team about a specification for your venue or attraction.
View the A1 Black A-Board All Pavement SignsFrequently Asked Questions
Yes. Weather-resistant pavement signs are well suited to outdoor attractions because they guide visitors at eye level, can be repositioned as routes change, and hold up to the elements across a full day outside. The key requirements are a stable base, a sealed weatherproof frame and a finish that suits the setting, all of which the A1 weather-resistant black A-board provides.
A satin black frame lets the poster lead and recedes into its surroundings, which suits a heritage or outdoor setting where a bright silver frame would draw attention to itself. The black finish also hides everyday scuffs and cuts the sun glare that silver frames can throw back at passers-by.
It is built for outdoor use with rigid HDPE boards that resist warping, a corrosion-resistant aluminium frame with protective seals, and PET anti-reflex covers that shield the poster from rain, UV and dust. For prolonged heavy rain, laminated or waterproof polypropylene prints add extra protection.
Yes. The A-board is double-sided and uses a tool-free cover with a hidden locking mechanism, so a single staff member can swap directional or visitor information in moments. It fits standard A1 posters measuring 594mm by 841mm.
Yes. Displaysense supplies pavement signs to single sites and large multi-location operators alike, with volume pricing, free UK mainland delivery and next-day availability on stocked lines. Displaysense has supplied display products since 1978.
