On June 18, 2016, Kew Gardens in London will open ‘The Hive‘, a 17m (55ft) metal structure that will use both sound and light to tell the story of one of the world’s most important creatures – the honey bee.
Set amid a colourful wildflower meadow, The Hive has hundreds of glowing LED lights and a symphony of sounds that reflect the world of a real hive. Vibration sensors within Kew’s beehives, triggered by bee activity, produce sound and light responses to create a multi-sensory experience. And apparently bees hum in the key of C!
Visitors will learn how honey bees play a vital role in our food security as well as countless other plants in eco-systems around the world that depend on them for pollination.
‘The Hive’ was originally built as the centrepiece installation of the UK Pavilion at the 2015 Milan Expo and designed by Wolfgang Buttress in collaboration with BDP and Simmonds Studio.
Visit The Hive during the day (admission is included with Gardens entry). During the summer holidays there will be lots of hands-on activities for all ages and, during September, special Hive Lates events will allow visitors to see the lights as dusk falls.
More at KEW
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