Helped plan the new Aquarium at London Zoo

In 1923, Joan Procter lent her expertise to the planning of the new Aquarium at the London Zoo, operated by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). Her involvement in this major infrastructure project reflected her growing reputation not just as a taxonomic scientist but as an authority on the practical husbandry and display of live animals—skills that were rare among museum-based zoologists of the period, who often had limited experience with living specimens.

Procter's contribution to the aquarium project drew on her intimate, hands-on understanding of reptile and amphibian behavior, physiology, and environmental needs, gained from years of keeping animals herself. She applied this knowledge to designing enclosures and systems that would better support the health, natural behaviors, and visibility of aquatic specimens for the public.

This project served as a bridge between her research work at the Natural History Museum and her subsequent, more prominent role at the Zoo itself. It highlighted her versatility, being equally adept in scholarly taxonomy and applied, practical zoo science—a combination that made her an invaluable asset to the Zoological Society. Her successful work on the aquarium was instrumental in leading to her formal appointment as Curator of Reptiles later that same year, marking a pivotal turning point in her career from behind-the-scenes museum researcher to a leading public figure in British zoology.