Huber Woods Park recently completed a renovation of their reptile exhibit house, a longtime marquee attraction of the New Jersey park. The building, constructed in 1927, was originally a garage to the historic Hans Huber House, which exists today as the Huber Woods Environmental Center. The park’s reptile and amphibian collection were added to the building in the 1990’s.

The reptile house project included seven new jewel box habitats for the collection’s animals. Species displayed are the eastern box turtle, eastern king snake, northern diamondback terrapin, and green frog. The featured species are all native to New Jersey, with graphics panels that display information about the local Northeastern fauna.

The individual reptile exhibits contain forest backdrop graphics, faux rockwork, and simulated tree logs, arranged for ease of viewing as the reptiles and amphibians perch and explore. Strides were made to increase the accessibility of the exhibit by ensuring that the acrylic viewing panels extend low enough for children to easily view. The turtle and terrapin aquatic habitats allow underwater views of these animals swimming in a more natural environment.

COST’s scope for this project included scaled exhibit models, shop drawings, installation of life support and lighting systems, and the reptile exhibit/habitat fabrication. The units were then packaged and shipped to the job site for quick and easy installation.