Description
Bees: A Story of Survival is a visually stunning and deeply immersive exhibition that invites visitors into the remarkable world of bees. Through large-scale digital environments, interactive experiences, multisensory installations and a bespoke soundscape, audiences discover the vital role pollinators play in sustaining ecosystems, food production and biodiversity.
Combining contemporary design, compelling science and emotional storytelling, Bees: A Story of Survival transforms a globally significant environmental issue into an engaging and accessible experience for visitors of all ages. From families and school groups to adult audiences, the exhibition inspires curiosity, wonder and action at a time when the future of pollinators has never been more important.
A story of 120 million years of adaptation and survival, Bees takes visitors on a journey into the extraordinary world of one of the planet’s most important species. Through a unique harmony of art and science, audiences discover the remarkable biology of bees, the complexity of their fascinating behaviours, and the essential role they play in supporting ecosystems and global food production.
Created by National Museums Liverpool in collaboration with award-winning artist and sculptor Wolfgang Buttress, Bees combines scientific expertise, internationally significant entomology collections and artistic innovation to create an unforgettable visitor experience. Using cutting-edge sound, light and digital technologies, visitors encounter the world from a bee’s perspective while exploring the challenges facing pollinators today. Inspiring wonder, empathy, curiosity and action, Bees offers a powerful and timely exploration of our relationship with the natural world.
BEES: A Story of Survival has been developed in collaboration with the artist and sculptor Wolfgang Buttress.
Wolfgang is known internationally for creating iconic multisensory public works which harmonise art and science to connect us with nature. His work has included ‘The Hive’, located at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and ‘BEAM’ at Glastonbury Festival.
The exhibition requires approximately 700–1000 m² of floor space with a minimum clear ceiling height of 3m. The modular exhibition can be reconfigured to suit a range of gallery layouts, subject to venue assessment and approved redesign.
The exhibition is transported in five 40ft high-cube shipping containers and requires a four-week installation period and three-week deinstallation period. Installation is supported by a travelling team comprising a Tour Project Consultant, Build Supervisor, Build Manager and AV Technical Supervisor, working alongside a locally supplied installation crew.
Local team requirements: The host venue is required to provide a dedicated Exhibitions Manager for both installation and deinstallation. Installation requires an 8-person Floor and Frame Build Team with joinery experience, a 4-person Fabric Fix Team, and a 3-person AV Installation Team. Deinstallation requires a 6-person Floor and Frame Build Team and a 3-person AV Installation Team. The Fabric Fix Team will typically be sourced locally by National Museums Liverpool and should have suitable experience installing large-scale fabric elements.
Venue infrastructure requirements include multiple 120V power connections, dedicated data connections and an environmentally controlled indoor exhibition space suitable for immersive audiovisual experiences.
The exhibition is constructed from a modular prefabricated timber and aluminium framework system with integrated AV equipment, projection, lighting and sound. The package includes exhibition structure, AV hardware, digital content licences and associated objects.
Optional live Hive Monitor integration is available, enabling connection to a live bee colony as part of the exhibition soundtrack. Additional charges apply.
Why Host Bees: A Story of Survival?
• A spectacular fusion of immersive art, cutting-edge technology and scientific discovery that allows visitors to experience the world from a bee's perspective.
• Journey through a series of breathtaking multisensory environments exploring 120 million years of bee evolution, adaptation and survival.
• Created by National Museums Liverpool in collaboration with internationally acclaimed artist and sculptor Wolfgang Buttress.
• Features a specially commissioned soundscape created from recordings of live bee colonies by Wolfgang Buttress and The Karman Line Collective, with optional live Hive Monitor integration.
• Developed from National Museums Liverpool's internationally significant entomology collections and informed by research from leading scientists.
• Combines immersive projection, sculpture, interactive technology, sound and light to create memorable experiences that engage audiences emotionally as well as intellectually.
• Designed to appeal to families, school groups, adult audiences and visitors with interests spanning science, art, nature and environmental issues.
• Supports STEM, environmental science, arts and wellbeing programming, creating multiple opportunities for education and public engagement.
• Flexible touring format adaptable to a wide range of venue footprints and gallery configurations.
• Opportunities for host venues to connect the exhibition with local collections, conservation initiatives, scientific research and community partners.
Exhibition Features
Key features include:
INTERACTIVE DISCOVERY CABINETS
Bespoke digitally animated models, exploring bee anatomy, communication, behaviour, nesting, pollination and much more.
BONE CONDUCTORS
Devices that enable visitors to hear the world like a bee and explore how bees communicate through vibration.
BE
A large-scale honeycomb-inspired sculptural environment where projection, light and sound immerse visitors in the sensory world of bees and their hive.
BEE VISION
A panoramic audiovisual film exploring how bees see the world through ultraviolet light, revealing colours, patterns and navigation cues invisible to the human eye.
SWARM
A monumental three-dimensional sculpture of light, projection and sound visualising the movement, intelligence and collective power of a swarming colony.
VANISHING
A powerful immersive installation imagining a world without bees through darkness, sound and the gradual disappearance of flowers, colour and life.
SYMPHONY
An uplifting participatory experience in which visitors become part of a living artwork as golden pollen particles drift through the gallery, symbolising the interconnectedness of people, pollinators and nature.
For more information please contact Andrew Bullock, Head of Touring Exhibitions at andrew.bullock@liverpoolmuseums.org.uk
The Royal Ontario Museum 16 May 2026 to 18 Oct 2026.
Please fill in the form to send your message. The owner of the listing will receive your enquiry and will then be able to answer you.
Please select the community profile of your partner and the type of partnership. Your partner will receive an email for confirmation.
Subscribe to receive regular industry updates every 2 months
Menu
