Microbe Zoo

Microscopic adventures await – visit the Microbe Zoo at Norwich Science Festival!

Once inside the ‘zoo’, you’ll be transported into a world usually invisible to the naked eye – one inhabited by bacteria, fungi, viruses and algae! A team of ‘zookeepers’ from Norwich Research Park will guide you through the different habitats, as you discover what these tiny creatures do, and how they keep plants, people, and the planet healthy.

Whilst we can’t see them, microbes play a range of fascinating roles in our everyday lives.

Presented by the Centre for Microbial Interactions and The SAW Trust, you’ll get to enjoy interactive games, hands-on activities, soundscapes and videos as you explore a previously unseen microbial world.

Enjoy interactive games, soundscapes and videos, and don’t forget to visit the mock 'café and ‘gift shop’, in this immersive and educational experience for all the family.

Visitors will enter the Microbe Zoo in small groups, and may need to queue for a short while before being able to go inside.

Free, drop-in
Recommended for all ages
The Gallery, The Forum
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Access Information

For access enquiries, please contact the team on:

About the Centre for Microbial Interactions

The Centre for Microbial Interactions supports and promotes the work from over 100 microbiology research groups at Norwich Research Park - one of the world's largest sites for microbiology expertise.

CMI generates significant discoveries and breakthroughs year-on-year, tackling some of the major challenges facing our planet and the people that live on it. Their work encompasses a wide range of research topics – from antimicrobial resistance and genomics to biotechnology and infection, with applications in the fields of medicine, agriculture, food, energy and climate change.

About the SAW Trust

The SAW Trust is an education charity that uses cross-disciplinary methods to bring science topics into everyday lives and language. SAW support scientists to design and deliver novel projects in collaboration with artists and writers – with a large proportion of projects taking place in schools and at public events.

Acknowledgements

The Centre for Microbial Interactions and The SAW Trust would like to thank the John Innes Foundation, Norwich Freemen's Charity and the Quadram Institute for funding towards the Microbe Zoo. The Centre for Microbial Interactions is also grateful for support and funding from the Norwich Research Park partners - Anglia Innovation Partnership, Earlham Institute, John Innes Centre, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals, Quadram Institute, The Sainsbury Laboratory and University of East Anglia.