Bug Adventure invites you to experience the world as bugs do! A new exhibition at the Canadian Museum of Nature from March 15th to October 14th 2024!

In this exhibition, the word bugs refers to insects, arachnids, and myriapods (e.g. millipedes). They are arthropods—the most diverse and abundant animal group on the planet—and they’ve been around for 400 million years. As visitors move through fantastical displays and interactive stations, they’ll explore bugs’ superpowers: strong exoskeletons, swarm intelligence, precision flight, deception and camouflage, silk and venom.

Four uniquely-themed bug chambers with exquisitely-crafted, giant, detailed models highlight the adaptive genius of certain insects. In one of these giant pods, visitors encounter a jewel wasp injecting venom into a cockroach to effectively “zombify” it. In another chamber, visitors enter a hive where Japanese honeybees engulf an invading giant hornet, using heat from their rapidly vibrating wing muscles to “cook” the enemy.

Throughout the exhibition there are numerous activities to keep young visitors busy. Children will have fun sliding through the body of a giant bombardier beetle. They can also try out various games that will appeal to all ages; for example, they can make their own bug out of paper and test it in a wind tunnel, or compare their speed against that of an orchid mantis to catch a flying bug.

The special exhibition fee for Bug Adventure is $12 ($8.50 for children, students 13-17, and seniors) in addition to the cost of general museum admission. (On Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. when general admission is free, the fee for Bug Adventure still applies). Purchase tickets in advance at nature.ca.