The good news of bees (and how we can help save them) shown at new exhibition

By The Editor

Bees are good news for the planet and indeed they help keep us all alive 

The product of 120 million years of evolution and with 20,000 known species, bees are vital to our planet’s ecosystems and essential to human existence.

In a unique partnership, World Museum, Liverpool and the award-winning artist and sculptor Wolfgang Buttress present the world premiere of Bees: A Story of Survival, an exhibition like no other. 

As expert pollinators moving from flower to flower and crop to crop, they play a critical role in sustaining the world's plant life and biodiversity. 

Now the powerful new exhibition in Liverpool explores the lives of bees, and the threats they now face.

It provides an in depth look into the fascinating world of these vital insects. From the intricate anatomy of an individual bee to the complex social structures of entire colonies, the exhibition blends art, sound, light, and technology in a mesmerizing display.

Wolfgang Buttress, said: “Bees can be seen as sentinels of the earth. They have been around for over 120 million years and are exquisitely tuned to the environment. 

“Their health and wellbeing mirror the health of the Earth and they are dying in unprecedented numbers. Their existential challenges reflect our own – they die and suffer, we die and suffer.

“This exhibition was imagined to be like no other. The intention is to create an emotionally engaging and sensory stimulating experience to express the wonder and diversity of bees. 

“I want the audience to feel empathy as well as an understanding and appreciation of these incredible creatures. If we love and respect bees a little bit more after seeing this exhibition, then we may well make the earth a better place for them and us to live in.”

Visitors are granted a window into the lives of bees around the globe, underscoring just how catastrophic their loss would be for ecosystems everywhere. 

The centerpiece image showcases a striking bee from the genus Euglossa, also known as orchid bees - key pollinators of orchids in the Americas that are also attracted to rotting fruits, fungi and even feces. 

Bees: A Story of Survival opens at World Museum, part of National Museums Liverpool, runs until Saturday 5 May 2025. The exhibition is sponsored by lead partner Radisson RED Liverpool and premieres at World Museum, before embarking on a global tour. 

For more information visit: www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/bees.