Annually, over 130,000 people visit the Wildlife Park in Gray, which is currently open from April to October. Simons Architects worked with Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to study their existing entry sequence and help improve the visitor experience. The park, which is funded entirely by revenues generated from visitors, has seen a steady increase in the number of families and tourists visiting the park each year which led to congestion at the entrance during the peak summer season. Clearly delineated traffic flow, both from a pedestrian and vehicular standpoint, as well as ticketing and reducing impervious pathways, were the focuses of the study, which covers over 40 acres

The scope of our work includes an overall master plan update, conceptual studies for their museum, a new educational classroom, and the design of a new ticketing area and retail store. Over the next ten years, it is expected that visits to the park will increase by fifty percent, so planning for future growth and expansion while considering climate change and sustainability is of paramount importance. As we helped plan for growth and envision the future of the park, we considered design elements that impact a multitude of users- from staff, volunteers, and the wildlife in the park, to individual visitors, educational groups, and rental users.

The construction of the new building was completed in 2025, opening for the first visitors of the season. Some features of the new ticketing, store, and offices building include interior and exterior wood sheathing, bird-safe glass, and a custom-milled, waterjet-cut steel fence by Bruns Brothers in Gray, Maine.

Client  |  Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Park

Location  |  Gray, Maine

Contractor  |  H.E. Callahan