BEES! swarms into the PumpHouse Museum this April

The buzz begins this spring as BEES! opens at the PumpHouse Museum, 23 Ontario St., Kingston, running April 25 through October 31, 2026. This immersive, family-friendly exhibition invites visitors to step into the extraordinary world of bees and pollinators, and discover why their health is closely tied to the health of our environment and a changing climate. 

BEES! brings together science, engineering and environmental awareness through interactive experiences designed for curious minds of all ages. Visitors can climb through a giant honeycomb model featuring a queen bee and developing larvae, test their skills at a Bee I.D. Spinner, observe a Live Hive Cam, explore beekeeping tools and bee products, and even try a Waggle Dance to communicate like a real bee. 

The exhibition highlights both managed honeybees and a wide variety of wild and native bee species, while also exploring the environmental pressures pollinators face today, including habitat loss, pesticide use, invasive species and the growing impacts of climate change. Along the way, it shares practical, approachable ways visitors can support pollinators in their own backyards and neighbourhoods. 

“This exhibition strikes a great balance between interactive fun and meaningful learning,” says Melissa Cruise, City Curator. “Bees support our food systems and healthy ecosystems, and climate change is putting real pressure on their survival. Bringing BEES! to the PumpHouse was important to us because it aligns so naturally with the museum’s hands-on approach to STEAM learning, and with the City of Kingston’s climate action priorities by highlighting biodiversity, resilience and everyday actions people can take. From crawling through the honeycomb to trying the waggle dance, visitors can have fun, learn something meaningful and leave feeling empowered with simple ways to make a difference.” 

Set inside Kingston’s historic 1851 waterworks, the PumpHouse Museum provides a fitting backdrop for exploring the engineering and organization found inside a hive, where structure, efficiency, and teamwork drive a system that supports life well beyond the hive itself. 

PumpHouse Education Hive supported by TD

The PumpHouse is grateful to TD Friends of the Environment Foundation for their support of the Education Hive. This hands-on learning space connected to the BEES! exhibition supports further learning through interactive exhibit elements, curriculum-linked school programming and community programs. The Education Hive will help visitors of all ages explore pollinators, biodiversity and environmental stewardship in meaningful and engaging ways. 

Additional programming, workshops and special events related to the exhibition will be announced throughout the exhibition. 

BEES! runs from April 25 - Oct. 31, 2026 and is included with regular museum admission. The exhibition is designed to engage families, school groups, and lifelong learners through interactive stations, immersive environments and accessible interpretive content. 

For exhibition details, admission information, and upcoming events, visit KingstonPumpHouse.ca or follow the PumpHouse Museum on social media.