Venue: Central Square, 5 Lower Road, Morningside, Sandton 2057, Johannesburg
Dates: 6 to 15 October 2023 Days: Friday to Sunday
Time: 9am to 5pm
A new exhibition, The Big Bug Expo, is making its first appearance in Johannesburg South Africa, in October 2023 featuring some of the world’s most fascinating creatures – insects.
The exhibition will feature various larger-than-life-sized accurate to science, well-crafted animatronic insects and other creatures with sound and movement. Created in collaboration with some of the world’s renowned etymologists, they are made for environmental science education exhibitions. This is a great opportunity for science learners to see how certain bugs look. Imagine a dragonfly that is the same size of a human being with a 3.5-metre wide wingspan. Fascinating as that is, imagine too if its wings can flap and its antenna can wiggle.
This is the ultimate fusion of science and art to achieve education with an equal measure of entertainment. The exhibition helps both adults and kids to get over their fears, as we all know that not all bugs are dangerous but are a great contribution to our ecosystem. The exhibition also creates awareness on endangered species of bugs. Various universities have confirmed the steep decline of honeybees. The exhibition will feature a live bugs display section where visitors can get a chance to touch some of them and ask questions. Another section will have a collection of preserved bugs which can be viewed under a magnifying glass. Ideal for family outings, school group excursions and kids’ parties, parents will have an opportunity to seat relax having coffee while kids play.
TICKET PRICES
The show will be divided into two main sections, namely the Animatronic Bugs Section and the Luminous Bugs Section. Each section has a separate ticket but patrons can choose to access both sections and purchase the all access ticket. 1. Animatronic bugs 2. Luminous bugs
ANIMATRONIC BUGS
- Early bird ticket Kids: R60
- Adults: R80
- Standard tickets Kids: R75
- Adults: R90
This category has 10 different animatronic insects. Imagine a dragonfly so large that its height is above an adult’s knee level, its abdomen so wide that a small child can ride. Fascinating as that is, imagine too if its wings can flap and its antenna can wiggle. This is the ultimate fusion of science and art to achieve education with an equal measure of entertainment. A selection of the insects in this category can hiss and click as well as make the very movements that you they are known to make strikingly enhancing the realism of the set.
LUMINOUS BUGS
- Early bird tickets Kids: R60
- Adults: R80
- Standard tickets Kids: R75
- Adults: R90
The expo will also feature 20 luminous bugs. These are in the form of lanterns and LED bugs made up of thousands of LED lightbulbs covered in silk fabric while others are made of plastic and can make a limited number of motions. This section will feature bees, ants, dragon flies and lady bugs among many others.
ADMISSION
- Exhibition full access ticket Early bird: R150
- Standard ticket: R170
EARLY BIRD TICKETS (if you book before 6 October 2023)
- Kids R60
- Adults R80
- Family of four R250 two adults and 2 kids
STANDARD TICKETS (if you book after 6 October 2023)
- Kids R75
- Adults R90
- Family of four R320 two adults and 2 kids.
Group or Family of eight R560 Activities included in the standard entrance ticket:
- Big Bug Display Walk Through
- Live bugs viewing
- Preserved bugs
- Jumping Castle
- Bug Colouring
- Reptile display
- Bug colouring
Paid for Activities R30 to R50
- Virtual reality
- The bug train
- Big bug rides
- Bug instant photos
5. Playground Special activities combo ticket R200 Please note that this ticket is recommended for children under 8 years of age. It comes with the following activities: 1. Virtual reality 2. The bug train 3. Big bug rides 4. Playground The exhibition is ideal for all age groups, families and school groups.
