Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre is buzzing with the completion of its brand new beehive exhibit. Although currently closed to the public, work at Questacon has not stopped. There has been a hive of activity behind the scenes, with the construction of a custom-built indoor installation to house a colony of displaced local bees.
The launch of the exhibit coincides with the 50th anniversary of Earth Day on 22 April 2020. This annual global event highlights the importance of caring for the Earth and has gone digital this year.
“We hope that our beehive exhibit will prompt conversations about the importance of bees and other pollinators in preserving ecosystems and for food security. The exhibit aims to feed curious minds, encourage learning about the natural world. We hope that Questacon will once again ‘bee’ the place to ‘bee’ seen once the current crisis is over" said Professor Graham Durant, Questacon Director.
The exhibit is the new home for a colony of local European honey bees that was removed from a nearby tree for public safety reasons. Questacon is thrilled to be supporting this bee colony following the devastating droughts and bushfires that destroyed thousands of bee hives.
With the assistance of Snowgum Honeybees, the bees were initially relocated to southern New South Wales while the exhibit was constructed from recycled materials. The busy bees were introduced to their brand new home by entering and exiting through a tunnel that leads to the outside of the building. Footage of the bees’ activity at the landing pad just outside the tunnel is streamed live to a monitor at the exhibit.
“We are excited to have a living beehive at Questacon, providing learners of all ages with the ability to safely get up close and discover honey bees in action. Already we can see them bringing pollen into the hive and working non-stop to produce wax comb and store their honey. This exhibit will be one of a number of new exhibits for our visitors when they return” said Dr Bobby Cerini, Questacon Deputy Director and General Manager, Science and Learning.
Although Questacon is not currently open to the public, more information about this new exhibit is available here.
The Questacon at Home page offers activities and resources for children and families to experience and enjoy wherever they are.
Media contact:
Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre 02 6270 2917 or communications@questacon.edu.au
