Creepy crawlies are coming to the Nelson Museum!

Children explore the bugs! Our Backyard heroes exhibition 

RELEASED 28 September 2017

Bugs may have a reputation for being small, scaly and scary but the Nelson Provincial Museum is out to prove that creepy crawlies are actually superheroes in disguise!

BUGS! Our Backyard Heroes is a family-friendly, hands-on educational experience that brings visitors face-to-face with some real live mini-monsters.

The exhibition opens on 28 September at the Nelson Museum and explores the secret world of bugs and the vital role they play in our lives without us even realising it!

Featuring ‘Eugene’, the giant centipede, and his friends the tree wētā, stick insects, locusts, crickets, cockroaches and Avondale spiders, the exhibition also provides the opportunity for visitors to learn about the different native species of bugs in New Zealand and the sometimes precarious position they hold in the ecosystem due to threats from imported pests and environmental threats.

There are plenty of hands-on activities for youngsters to get involved in, including how to become a citizen scientist and how bugs inspire those on the frontline of technology.

Bug wrangler and live animal curator Brain Lawton, who was responsible for breeding all the live bugs in this exhibit, will be on hand to take the first school groups through the exhibition. Brian has supplied bugs for television shows and movies including Xena and Lord Of The Rings.

 “This exhibition very much meets our goal to make learning and education a fun experience for the entire family and we are looking forward to seeing the reactions of our visitors. ” says Lucinda Blackley-Jimson Chief Executive of the Nelson Museum.

BUGS! Our Backyard Heroes runs from 28 September 2017 through to 11 February 2018 in the Upstairs Exhibition Gallery at Nelson Provincial Museum corner of Trafalgar and Hardy Street Nelson and is open seven days.

Ends.