A giant anthill will appear in Oxford as part of a new immersive exhibition created to help children connect with the natural world and tackle climate anxiety.
The upcoming exhibition Brilli-ANT at The Story Museum, on Pembroke Street in Oxford, welcomes visitors into the world of insects and sets the challenge of working together to save the anthill from extinction.
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Opening on May 27, The Story Museum worked closely with entomologists and climate experts, including Noga Levy-Rapoport, Tom Brown and Mim Saxl, to ensure the exhibition empowers children to connect with planet earth and the impact of climate change on different species.
Caroline Jones, director of The Story Museum, said: “I’m delighted to be launching the new Brilli-ANT exhibition and look forward to welcoming families into the anthill.
“Stories are crucial to how we interpret the world around us and can help us to imagine possible futures.
Making sense of climate change, without losing optimism, is a challenge for everyone but it can be even more bewildering for young minds learning about the world.
“Our goal with Brilli-ANT is to encourage children to look at the natural world and how other species adapt to climate change in a positive way.
“It’s not about placing the weight of the world on young shoulders, but instead showing young people that they’re holding the future of the planet gently in their hands.”
Brilli-ANT gives children and their families the opportunity to put on a pair of ant antennae, before they travel through anthill tunnels, searching for clues and stories.
On their way, they’ll meet a host of giant insects made out of recycled cardboard by sculptor Lottie Smith.
From dung beetles explaining recycling to bumblebees showing the importance of helping others - each insect has a story to tell about how their species has adapted to climate change.
Lottie Smith, sculptor, said: “It's great to be involved in a project with such an important message.
“Brilli-ANT tackles a complex topic without overwhelming people. Instead, the exhibition aims to fill people with hope and show them all the myriad of positive small changes we can make to help the planet.
“I've loved creating a space that helps make visitors feel like they have walked into the world of the insects by subverting scale and showing how tiny things can make a big impact.”
The story behind the exhibition – developed in partnership with author Chitra Soundar Chitra Soundar and illustrator Barry Falls – shows how even the smallest ant can change a big story.
Original music by Cosmo Sheldrake completes the immersive experience for the whole family.
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This story was written by Matthew Norman, he joined the team in 2022 as a Facebook community reporter.
Matthew covers Bicester and focuses on finding stories from diverse communities.
Get in touch with him by emailing: Matthew.norman@newsquest.co.uk
Follow him on Twitter: @OxMailMattN1
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