Events
Shows, talks, school days and exhibitions
Through the year you will find us at village shows, school fairs, nature days and museums across Hampshire, with honey to taste, a hive to look inside, and the Charles Butler story to tell.
Coming up
- Sat 31 October
Community Market, Mencap, Basingstoke - Sat 28 November
Christmas Fayre Community Market, Mencap, Basingstoke
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Our exhibition, 14 March to 28 June 2026
Bees! Hampshire's Hive of History and Nature
For fifteen weeks the Willis Museum in Basingstoke became a hive. The Foundation was proud to co-curate this interactive exhibition with Hampshire Cultural Trust, bringing together beekeepers, schools and the community to share their love of bees and all pollinators.
Visitors stepped inside an immersive hive to hear and see the bees, tried hands-on activities and crafts, and found out about the vital role bees play in the natural world. The history of beekeeping was on display too, from Roman clay hive fragments found at Rockbourne to medieval images of how bees were kept and valued.
At the heart of it all was Charles Butler, who confirmed that a hive is led by a queen, not a king, and whose 1623 edition of The Feminine Monarchie included his bee madrigal.
Bees! Bees! Hark to the Bees!
11 April to 20 May. A first-floor gallery display: the evolution of the bee suit, the bee story in Africa, a look inside a hive, and local efforts to balance new homes with parkland.
Talks and special days
Chris Park's talk "Beekeeping through the ages" on 26 April, World Bee Day on 20 May, and honey tasting with the Honey Guild on 14 June.
World Bee Week school projects
22 May to 28 June. Local schools filled the gallery with bee crafts, showing the Charles Butler story still being told 400 years on.
With thanks to our sponsor partners
Where we have been
2026
- Mon 12 October
What’s all the Buzz About? at Prince’s Mead School
Barbee and Beekeeper Ken took our bee display to Prince’s Mead School, just outside Winchester.
- Sat 8 August
Oakley Village Show
Our honey and bee story stall at the village show, Oakley.
- Fri 19 June
Inclusion School open day
At the Willis Museum, Basingstoke.
- Sun 14 June
Honey tasting with the Honey Guild
At the Willis Museum, Basingstoke.
- Sat 6 June
Basingstoke Green Week
At The Malls, Basingstoke. A week celebrating local action on climate change and biodiversity, with live music, local produce and free workshops.
- Wed 20 May
World Bee Day
A day of celebration at the Willis Museum, Basingstoke.
- Fri 15 May
The bee story at Great Binfields School
A school visit in Basingstoke.
- Sun 10 May
Nature Day at Gilbert White's House
Selborne. Nature and conservation groups with family activities, crafts, workshops and guided nature walks.
- Sun 26 April
Sunday Tea and Talks: Beekeeping Through the Ages
Chris Park, founder member of the Beekeeping History Trust, on the history of bees and people, from honey hunting and tree beekeeping to skeps, boxes and eureka moments. At the Willis Museum.
- 2 and 9 April
Exhibition open days
Open days at the Bees! exhibition, Willis Museum, Basingstoke.
- 14 March to 28 June
Bees! Hampshire's Hive of History and Nature
Our fifteen-week exhibition with Hampshire Cultural Trust at the Willis Museum.
2025
- Sat 13 September
Manydown Life open day
Manydown, Basingstoke.
- Sat 9 August
Oakley Village Show
Oakley.
- Sat 21 June
Oakley front garden stalls
Oakley.
- Fri 20 June
Inclusion School summer festival
Basingstoke.
- 9 to 13 June
World Bee Day week at Inclusion School
A whole week of bee activities. Read what the school said.
- Sat 7 June
Basingstoke Green Week
At The Malls, Basingstoke.
- Sun 25 May
World Bee Day talk by Chris Park
At the Willis Museum, Basingstoke.
- Sun 11 May
Nature Day at Gilbert White's House
Selborne.
Invite us to your event
We would love to bring the bee story to your school, show or community event, and to hear from beekeepers who could give a talk or run a workshop with us.