Antopia

You have been invited by a colony of ants to enter their nest and experience life from their point of view. The ants are eager to improve human-ant relations, so they are eager to give you a glimpse into their complex and intricate world as they go about their daily tasks. 

As you enter Antopia, worker ants will guide you through a magical transformation, shrinking you down to size and coating you with the colony’s pheromones. These pheromones are how ants communicate; a whole language that humans aren’t able to perceive. But while you’re visiting Melbourne Museum, the ants have granted you the ability to see pheromones so you can communicate and interact with the ants.

Once inside the nest, time will seem different. It may speed up or slow down, allowing you to witness an entire day-night cycle in just a few moments. Listen closely for the faint rustling of tiny legs scurrying through narrow tunnels, echoing softly throughout the nest; inhale the earthy aroma that fills the air within this subterranean wonder where our story unfolds.

The story of Antopia at Melbourne Museum is different from more traditional stories by definition: it is a non-linear, interactive experience that relies on audience participation to progress. When you venture back from the nest, you’ll understand that ants have their own societies; different from ours, but just as sophisticated.