How it works

Build a quest around what makes your site worth exploring.

NatureQuest starts with the experiences you already offer, then connects them through discoveries, quests, and rewards that give visitors more reasons to look closer and keep exploring.

1

Choose what visitors should discover

Identify the exhibits, animals, habitats, specimens, gardens, trail stops, or other features you want to bring into the quest.

2

Turn those discoveries into an experience

Add NatureQuest codes, custom cards, educational content, observation challenges, digital rewards, and quest steps tied to those places.

3

Give visitors a reason to keep going

Connect discoveries into themed trails, seasonal challenges, or larger quests that encourage visitors to explore more now — and return for what comes next.

Start with a few discovery points or build a site-wide quest. The experience can grow with your programs, seasons, exhibits, and visitor goals.

Field trips & school groups

Turn a field trip into a mission students want to complete.

Give students something purposeful to do at each stop — find it, observe it, record it, answer a question, complete a challenge, or collect a reward. The visit becomes more active for students and more useful for educators.

Your site becomes easier for teachers to use as a structured learning destination — without making the visit feel like another worksheet.

Before

Set the mission

Teachers can introduce the quest, learning goals, or activities students will complete when they arrive.

During

Make the visit active

Students follow quest steps, scan discovery points, make observations, and collect rewards as they move through your site.

After

Keep the learning going

Follow-up observations, additional quests, classroom activities, or a future return visit can extend the experience beyond the day itself.

Bring NatureQuest to your organization

Make your site a destination in the bigger quest to discover nature.

Connect what your organization already does best to an ongoing journey of discovery — helping visitors explore more deeply, making educational visits more engaging, and creating new reasons to come back.

Start at the scale that fits Launch with a few discovery points or build a larger experience across your site.

Shape it around your goals Build around your collection, conservation priorities, curriculum, events, or seasonal programming.

Keep the experience connected Your site becomes part of the same NatureQuest visitors can continue before and after their visit.

Plan a NatureQuest Experience Explore NatureQuest

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The process

Start with your site. Build the right level of NatureQuest around it.

Every project begins with a conversation about your organization, your audience, and the exhibits, habitats, trails, collections, or learning experiences you want to support. From there, Natural Learning Enterprises recommends several ways NatureQuest can fit your goals.

1

Orientation call

We learn about your organization, the visitor experience you already provide, and where NatureQuest could add the most value.

2

Integration options

NLE outlines practical options at different levels of customization, from a simple free integration to a fully tailored site experience.

3

Build & launch

Once you choose an approach, we configure the quests, cards, codes, content, and branding needed for that level of integration.

Integration options & pricing

Choose the level of integration that fits your organization.

NatureQuest can begin as a simple addition to your visitor experience or become a fully customized layer across your entire site. Pricing scales with the level of customization and development required.

Basic integration

Add NatureQuest with minimal setup

Free

A simple way to connect your site to the NatureQuest ecosystem using existing content and quests.

• Basic NatureQuest QR codes
• Codes can point visitors to existing species, rock formations, or other relevant discoveries
• Uses existing NatureQuest quests and activities where appropriate
• Minimal custom development required

Best for organizations that want an easy entry point with little or no custom content.

Full-site integration

Create a fully integrated NatureQuest experience

Custom pricing

A fully tailored NatureQuest experience built across the individual exhibits, features, or items at your site.

• Unique NatureQuest cards for individual exhibits or items
• Custom QR codes placed throughout the site
• Site-specific content, quests, rewards, and discovery paths
• Organization branding can be incorporated where desired
• Designed to make the full visitor journey feel connected and intentional

Best for organizations seeking a highly customized, branded, site-wide NatureQuest experience.

Custom quest integration

Give your organization its own NatureQuest

Custom pricing

Create an experience built specifically around your site while keeping implementation simple for visitors.

• One unique NatureQuest QR code for your organization
• Scanning the code unlocks organization-specific quests
• Custom quest steps built around your exhibits, habitats, trails, or learning goals
• Can support field trips, seasonal programs, themed activities, or repeat visits

Best for organizations that want a distinctive experience without customizing every individual exhibit.

Custom pricing is based on project scope. The final cost depends on the level of integration, the number of exhibits or discovery points, the amount of custom quest and card development, and any desired branding or additional learning content.

Frequently asked questions

What to expect when bringing NatureQuest to your organization.

Every integration is a little different, but the process is designed to make it clear what we need, what your team can expect, and how the experience moves from planning to launch.

What do you need from us to get started?

After the orientation call, the most helpful thing your team can provide is an organized inventory of the content and locations you want included in NatureQuest.

For organizations such as zoos, aquariums, insectariums, museums, and similar sites, this typically includes:

• A list of the plant, animal, and fungi species represented at the site.
• A list of exhibits, habitats, galleries, trail stops, geological features, or other locations that should be integrated.
• Any approved images, exhibit copy, educational text, branding assets, or other materials you would like us to use.

Once we have that material, our team has what it needs to begin building the integration.

How long does a custom integration take?

A custom build typically takes a few weeks once we have the source materials we need. The exact timeline depends on the number of exhibits or locations being integrated and the amount of custom content being developed.

After the initial build, we schedule a virtual review meeting so your team can walk through the deliverables with us. We then make an iteration based on your feedback before moving into final implementation and training.

Do we need to create all of the NatureQuest content ourselves?

No. Your team provides the organized source information, approved materials, and any content you specifically want represented. NLE uses those materials to build the NatureQuest cards, quests, QR-code experiences, and other integration elements included in your project scope.

Can we start with the free option and expand later?

Yes. A basic integration can be a practical way to introduce NatureQuest at your site using existing content and quests. If you later want organization-specific quests, custom cards, exhibit-by-exhibit QR codes, or branding, the integration can be expanded.

Can NatureQuest use our organization's branding?

Yes. Branding can be incorporated into more customized integrations where appropriate. The amount of branding and custom presentation depends on the project scope and the type of experience being built.

What happens after the build is approved?

After the review and revision cycle, NLE provides on-site integration training so your team understands how the experience works in practice. Your organization also receives a custom guide explaining the integration, which can be used to train employees, educators, volunteers, and other staff members.

Who handles updates after launch?

That depends on the integration and the type of update needed. During planning, we can identify which parts of the experience are expected to remain stable and which may need to change as exhibits, species, programs, or seasonal activities change.

What determines the price of a custom project?

Pricing is based on the amount of custom development required. The biggest factors are the number of exhibits or discovery points, the number and complexity of custom quests, the number of unique cards and QR codes, branding requirements, and any additional learning content or support.

Start with a conversation

Find the right NatureQuest integration for your organization.

Tell us about your site and what you want visitors to experience. We will help identify the simplest approach that fits your goals — from a free basic integration to a fully customized implementation.

Schedule an Orientation Call