Program on the Environment

The purpose of a visitor center is to inform people of the historic background and environmental significance of the land being dedicated to public use. Public parks of the United States are applauded for providing people in a city with a much-needed reprieve from what otherwise can be a “concrete jungle.” My internship with Friends of Discovery Park (“FODP”) aimed to evaluate the existing state of the Discovery Park Visitor Center. In doing so, I updated the resources and display materials to better serve the Seattle community. I framed my research by asking the question: can public space be utilized to increase awareness of environmental issues and simultaneously enhance visitor satisfaction? To answer this question, I completed an annotated bibliography, conducted a community survey, a literature review, created a brochure for FODP, and reviewed the visitor center firsthand. The results from my survey showed that 65% of people would like more community events and activities, 58% want more interactive displays, and 44% desired more educational materials and information available at the visitor center. Through utilizing the results of my research into the visitor center, FODP can increase awareness of environmental issues as well as enhance visitor satisfaction.