BEES! HAMPSHIRE’S HIVE OF HISTORY AND NATURE
14th March to 28th June 2026
Willis Museum, Basingstoke Hampshire
Charles Butler 400 Foundation is proud to be part of Hampshire Cultural Trust’s innovative and educational interactive bee story exhibition, bringing together beekeepers, schools and communities to share their love and experiences of all bees and pollinators.
Step inside an immersive ‘hive ’and experience sounds and sights of bees, enjoy hands‑on activities and craft, understand the vital role bees play in our natural world, and marvel at the history of bees and beekeeping on display.
Explore early evidence of beekeeping, from Roman clay hive fragments found at Rockbourne to medieval images that show how bees were kept and valued. These echoes of the past sit beside today’s discoveries about how bees live, pollinate and communicate - sometimes even through dance.
At the heart of the exhibition is “The Father of English Beekeepers”, Charles Butler - vicar of Wootton St Lawrence, Basingstoke. Charles Butler observed and recorded honey bees with extraordinary care, capturing their sounds, behaviour and organisation. He was able to confirm the female queen bee and not the male drone was head of the bee colony.
In 1623 he published his findings in ”The Feminine Monarchie” which included his bee madrigal. 400 years on and his remarkable work continues to be used worldwide in teachings today.
Scan here for more information
What else is happening during the exhibition?
Bees! Bees! Hark to the Bees! 11th April to 20th May 2026
This is a first floor gallery display in the Willis Museum that compliments the main exhibition downstairs. Enjoy learning about the evolution of bee suits from “bras and lingerie”, discover the bee story in Africa, look inside a bee hive, and understand the efforts today to balance homes with sustainable parklands locally.
Thank you to our Sponsor Partners:
Special Willis Museum Events during the Bee Exhibition
Sunday 26th April: Chris Park presents - “Beekeeping through the ages”
Wednesday 20th May: World Bee Day
World Bee Week School projects 22nd May to 28th June 2026
Local schools have been buzzing and creating craft that will be displayed in the first floor gallery as part of the bee exhibition. These delightful works will demonstrate how the Charles Butler legacy continues to be told 400 years on!
Would you like to share your bee story experiences with schools and the community during the exhibition?
Alongside the exhibition, we are running a number of events and activities within the Willis Museum, and we would love to work in collaboration with local beekeepers to fill our programme. If you could spare a little time, maybe have a talk that you do and / or a workshop/ activity you run, we would love to hear from you!
Contact Us!
Co-curator
Ken Robson
Charles Butler 400 Foundation
Email: robson.ken48@gmail.com
Tel: 07725 832964
Bees! Hampshire’s Hive of History and Nature - Exhibition at Willis Museum Basingstoke
An Interactive exhibition opens at the Willis Museum Basingstoke on Saturday 14th March 2026 and runs for 15 weeks to close on Sunday 28th June 2026.
Sunday Tea & Talks - Beekeeping Through the Ages - A Talk by Chris Park, founder member of the Beekeeping History Trust.
A journey through some of the mysterious and mellifluous history of bees and people. Join an entertaining saunter through our earliest honey hunting endeavours, to tree beekeeping and honey forests, log hives and bears, bee skeps and baskets, boxes and eureka moments, and all of the imaginative ways we have bothered bees, and endeavoured to help them, so we might harvest some of their golden treasures to this present day’.
Nature Day - Gilbert Whites House
Join us as we celebrate the natural world. We will be welcoming nature and conservation organisations to share family-friendly activities, hands on crafts, and engaging workshops.
Nature Day at Gilbert White’s House & Gardens is a fantastic opportunity for families to connect with nature and learn about conservation efforts in a fun and engaging environment.
With activities suitable for all ages, including guided nature walks, and nature-inspired crafts, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Basingstoke Green Week
Celebrating local action on climate change and biodiversity, the week-long festivities include live performances by local artists and musicians, markets with organic and local produce and opportunities to get involved in free workshops.
Open Day - Bees! Hampshire’s Hive of History and Nature - Exhibition at Willis Museum Basingstoke
Open Day - An Interactive exhibition opens at the Willis Museum Basingstoke on Saturday 14th March 2026 and runs for 15 weeks to close on Sunday 28th June 2026.
The exhibition aims to bring together the community and Hampshire beekeepers, to share their common love of all bees, and the need to create a sustainable environment where all bees can thrive.
The exhibition display story will connect with Charles Butler’s environmental nature and bee story legacy (Basingstoke, Manydown, and Wootton St Lawrence), and the social history that connects Hampshire beekeepers to the community and local schools.
Open Day - Bees! Hampshire’s Hive of History and Nature - Exhibition at Willis Museum Basingstoke
Open Day - An Interactive exhibition opens at the Willis Museum Basingstoke on Saturday 14th March 2026 and runs for 15 weeks to close on Sunday 28th June 2026.
The exhibition aims to bring together the community and Hampshire beekeepers, to share their common love of all bees, and the need to create a sustainable environment where all bees can thrive.
The exhibition display story will connect with Charles Butler’s environmental nature and bee story legacy (Basingstoke, Manydown, and Wootton St Lawrence), and the social history that connects Hampshire beekeepers to the community and local schools.
Gilbert White House and Museum Nature Day
Nature Day
Website: www.gilbertwhiteshouse.org.uk