Miami Science Museum And Junior League Of Miami Opening Event for Busy Buzzing Bee Hive Children’s Exhibit
Saturday, Nov. 10, 10:30–11:30 a.m.: Exhibit opens, presentation and activities
Miami Science Museum Discovery Room
3280 South Miami Avenue
Miami, FL 33129

Free for Junior League of Miami members and their children. General public: included with Museum admission. Students (with valid ID), seniors (62+) and children 3 – 12, $10.95; adults are $14.95. Admission is free for Miami Science Museum members and children under 3. Parking is free.

The public is invited to attend the official opening of the Miami Science Museum’s and Junior League of Miami, Inc.’s new “Busy Buzzing Bee Hive” observation exhibit for parents and children. Members of the Junior League, their children and representatives of the Museum will unveil the exhibit. Attendees will enjoy an opening presentation by beekeeper Inese Bunch from Bunch Farms, LLC, who was integral to the creation of the exhibit, along with the unveiling of the exhibit and a bee puppet show.
 
The Junior League of Miami, which takes pride in having founded the Miami Science Museum as a community children’s museum in 1949, donated $5,000 to create the exhibit. Junior League members also assisted in developing hands-on activities for small children related to the bee hive exhibit, which will be available on an ongoing basis in the Museum’s early childhood Discovery Room. These activities are part of the Museum’s ECHOS® (Early Childhood Hands-On Science) comprehensive early childhood science curriculum.
 
By observing the bees up close in their hive, parents and children will learn about the importance of relationships between animals (including humans) and plants (pollination), become more aware of agricultural practices (honey production), and witness non-human systems of communication, social organization and cooperation (the bee hive).
 
Bunch Farms beekeepers retrieved the exhibit’s bees from an avocado tree behind the Museum building, transported them to the farm where they observed and maintained them for a while, and later installed the hives in their new permanent location at the Museum. This process was necessary so that the bees would accept their new “home” at the Museum, and not return to the avocado tree.
 
“Honey bees are an engaging subject to which both parents and children can easily relate,” said Miami Science Museum CEO & President Gillian Thomas. “We would like to thank Junior League of Miami President Katie Lane Arriola and past President Dana Martorella for the League’s dedication to creating and giving continued support to the exhibit, and to Bunch Farms for providing us with their expertise and passion for bees.”