A place where we talk about bees, beekeeping, honey and biodiversity. A place where you can learn about the arduous and surprising life of the beehive. The historic Palazzo Cristina in Montalto Pavese which houses the Bee Museum, is named after two local beekeepers from the 1940s who were not only witnesses but also the inspiration for the exhibition: Carlo Perotti and Zelindo Martini. Two people who lived the transition from beekeeping with fixed hives to a more modern and rational one with mobile hives, and who wanted to pass on their experience with the aim of spreading and valorising the world of bees.
The evolution of beekeeping
The Bee Museum is an exciting and informative journey through the history of beekeeping and its changes over time.
Thanks to the presence of original equipment handcrafted by beekeepers, the evolution of tools and techniques used in beekeeping can be understood here.
Alongside more modern objects, one can admire the various types of hives, overalls, tools for harvesting honey and caring for the bees, manual wooden honey extractors and even a press for extracting honey from the honeycomb.
The Bee Museum and its mission of dissemination
The museum tour begins with an engaging video dedicated to beekeeping in Oltrepò Pavese and its importance for the conservation of biodiversity. Through detailed educational sheets, the museum provides in-depth information on the characteristics of bees, their social life and the complex language they use to communicate with each other. It then goes on to discover the secrets of hive organisation, the division of tasks between the worker bees and the queen, and the fundamental importance of the pollination process for the ecosystem.
In addition to the educational aspect, the Bee Museum also houses a section dedicated to bee products: honey, pollen, royal jelly, wax and propolis.
Why a Bee Museum in Oltrepò Pavese?
The Oltrepò Pavese is characterised by unspoilt nature, with large expanses of fields, vineyards and woods. This environment provides an ideal habitat for bees, which find an abundance of flowers and plants from which to collect nectar and pollen. Beekeeping has thus become an economic activity in the area, with deep roots in the culture and development of the Oltrepò Pavese, representing a heritage of knowledge and practices handed down over time. The museum is an opportunity to preserve and share this cultural heritage, stimulating interest in this thousand-year-old activity.
Celebrating the guardians of pollination
Every year, 20 May is an occasion to celebrate bees and their invaluable contribution to the ecosystem. World Bee Day, established by the United Nations, aims to raise awareness of the importance of bees and promote concrete actions for their conservation and protection.
Bees play a fundamental role in pollinating plants, facilitating reproduction and ensuring the diversity of plant species. This process is vital for the production of fruit, vegetables and seeds, which form an essential part of our diet. However, they face several threats that put their survival at risk. Such as habitat loss due to climate change and urbanisation, and exposure to harmful pesticides used in agriculture.
