Bats!

Meet bats — live and up close — in this multisensory exhibition exploring the wondrous world of bats and our connections with them. The only mammals that can truly fly, these animals have developed a host of superpowers that have benefited both humans and habitats around the world. Yet bats remain shrouded in mystery.​​

Often misunderstood creatures, bats have long been associated with the underworld, magic and superstition. They have also come to symbolize good and evil. Highly beneficial to their ecosystems, bats are often regarded as indicator species that help gauge the health of the environment and reveal the effects of climate change and other human-caused threats.

Meet a small colony of live Egyptian fruit bats on view in The Dotty Brown Art & Nature Center through the run of the exhibition. Accompanied by PEM collection objects, contemporary artworks, pop culture items and interactive zones, visitors will learn about the unique biology of bats and more deeply understand the vital role they play in our lives, ecologically, culturally and as inspiration for technological advances.

Bats! features works by the following living artists. Resa Blatman, Michael Brolly, Nick Demakes, Juan Nicolás Elizalde, Steve Hollinger, Michael LaFosse and Richard L. Alexander, Tony Rubino, David Yann Robert, Rebecca Saylor Sack, and Jeffrey Veregge.

Credit: Overview from museum website