Buzz Alley

What is life like for a bee?

The hive is calling! Discover the incredible world of honey bees and native pollinators — and the people who help keep them thriving.

Dress up as a worker, queen, or drone and explore an oversized hive. Play a pollination game to move pollen and nectar from flower to hive. Suit up in a real beekeeper's outfit and use actual beekeeping tools to tend the colony. Dance like a honey bee to share secrets with the swarm.

And it's not just honey bees doing the work. Tennessee is home to hundreds of native bee species, from bumblebees to mason bees, all quietly keeping our ecosystems — and our food — growing.

You may have heard that bees are disappearing and bats are dying. These and other animal pollinators face many challenges in the modern world. Habitat loss, disease, parasites, and environmental contaminants have all contributed to the decline of many species of pollinators. Together, pollinators are responsible for one in every three bites of food we eat.  

Peek through the windows at our rooftop garden filled with native Tennessee plants that pollinators love! The backdrop to the garden is a stunning mural created by local artist Joy Taylor. Pollinators are struggling because they don't have enough pollinator-friendly plants. Gardens like this one make a big difference!

Our pollinator garden is just one part of our commitment to being green!

Making music - BuzzBeats on the Plaza

BuzzBeats Garden is a musical celebration of local pollinators! Join the band on the beehive xylophone, cymbals, or butterfly instruments.⁠ Buzzbeats is a joyful reflection of our community's commitment to creating fun, public spaces that educate and ignite curiosity. We couldn't have created such an impactful activation space without our friends at PlayCore, Tucker Build, and The Barn Nursery.

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