September saw us visiting Liverpool once more to see Bees:

A Story of Survival at the World Museum. This was an immersive exhibition exploring these fascinating creatures through the mediums of science and art. Tiny though these creatures may be they are of course vital to our survival. Unfortunately their existence is being threatened by climate and environmental changes.

The exhibition made clever use of wonderful photography and lighting effects to imitate the world of a bee. Information was presented in bite size pieces that were easy to digest. Sound effects of bee colonies were recorded in the field and used as part of the soundscape experience. In fact bees do not have ears but use vibration, represented by the vibrations felt beneath our feet in one part as we walked through. Brightly lit transparent blocks stunningly showcased meadow flowers symbolising the loss of biodiverse habitats and the fact that 97% of wildflower meadows have been lost since 1930.

There are 250 kinds of bees in Britain many of which do not live in colonies but are solitary in habit. The exhibition left a feeling that most of us know little real detail about bees and therefore have a lot to learn about these ubiquitous creatures. A nice touch, just before the exit, asked not what we had learned about bees but how precisely are we were going to make changes to enhance and support their existence. Answers had to be written on a post it note and there were lots of good suggestions and promises of positive future action.

The exhibition continues until May 2025. A word of caution, however. Once you enter the bee ‘hive’ it is very dark and there are some places where mobility may be compromised. It would be uncomfortable for anyone who has difficulty seeing in low light or who has heightened sensory awareness.

Many thanks to Karen for this report of the September event. Exhibitionists are taking a break now until January when I look forward to meeting up and planning next year’s events