Museum & Theatre Relocates Honey Bees for Winter, Prepares Them for Move to Thompson’s Point

As we prepare to move to our future home at Thompson’s Point, Museum & Theatre staff have been busy beginning to pack up our 142 Free Street building. As you can imagine, some things in a children’s museum and theatre are harder to move than others. Last week, staff began one of our more involved tasks: settling our honeybees into their winter home so they're ready to move to Thompson's Point in the spring.

The Museum & Theatre has featured Carolina honeybees for many years to introduce children and families to their important role in our ecosystem and to teach about native and nonnative pollinators. Our observation hive with its glass exposure allows children (and adults too!) to observe honey bees within just a few inches from where they make honey, clean and care for the queen’s eggs, make beeswax, and crawl out through their tunnel to find nectar around the Portland peninsula. 

The hive is used to share the ins and outs of the magical world of honeybees; it is also a place where our visitors learn that honeybees aren’t quite as scary as they seem. We often hear our youngest visitors say, “No! I don’t want them to sting me!” The observation hive is a wonderful way for children to learn to not be afraid of honeybees. Instead, our bee educational program helps children develop empathy for bees and other animals in the natural world. 

Last week, Exhibits Associate Terra Fletcher and Master Beekeeper Davida Sky removed our beehive from Discovery Woods on the second floor. The Museum & Theatre bees have now joined Davida's hives, so they can stay happy and healthy this winter. Early next year, Davida will bring the bees to the new Museum & Theatre building at Thompson’s Point. They will live in our third floor IDEXX Learning Hub in an upgraded observation hive. We are thrilled to continue educating families about the importance of honeybees and do our part to maintain Maine’s bee population. We can’t wait until you can come visit the bees in their new home. 

-Lily Gilbert, Director of Visitor Engagement