06.08.2019
James-Simon-Galerie
Bees have come to serve as a tragic symbol of the worldwide decline in insect numbers. Due to their important position in Ancient Egypt, they are also playing a starring role in the campaign #insektenimmuseum and at the special event BEE at the Museum! Bees in Ancient Egypt and Today on 22 August 2019 in the auditorium of the James-Simon-Galerie.
Three experts – an Egyptologist, a beekeeper and a biologist – will take museum-goers on a journey through 4,500 years of the history of bees, shedding light on these insects from three different perspectives. Which legacies from Ancient Egypt have withstood the ravages of time, providing us with information about bees, honey and wax in times gone by? What is the situation of Egyptian bees in modern Egypt? What can each of us do as individuals to help native (wild) bees? And what does bee protection in Berlin entail? On this evening, the speakers will attempt to provide answers to these and other questions. Following the talks, there will be a chance to visit the Ägyptisches Museum in the Neues Museum free of charge, and to marvel at some of the original objects that were discussed in the talks.
Environmental conservation, climate change, declining insect populations – these are current issues that are on the minds of many. At the end of May, the Ägyptisches Museum also decided to take a look at one of these issues and started the social media campaign #insektenimmuseum. Up until 31 August 2019, on the Facebook page of the Neues Museum, on Instagram and on the Museum and the City: the blog of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin (German only), content will be published that presents the multifaceted world of Ancient Egyptian insects by looking at objects from the collection. A number of insects do not just play an important role in nature, but also in the faith systems of Ancient Egyptians, shedding a whole new light on these little critters.
Because of this, on 22 August, make sure to BEE at the museum! Learn about the important role that bees played in the past, and how you can protect bees today.