Bat hanging upside down

Bats: Masters of the Night

This exhibit is now closed, and ran September 18, 2021 through January 16, 2022.

Often thought of as blood-sucking, squeaky creatures that get tangled in your hair, visitors of Bats: Masters of the Night found these beliefs to be myths that have held fast throughout the years. The exhibit explained that bats are actually gentle, beneficial little animals.

In the exhibit, visitors experienced lifelike models, multisensory interactive displays and environmentally lifelike settings, like entering the exhibit through a Gothic castle, to set the scene for an up-close look at these mammals in their natural habitats. The home of the 18th-century bat enthusiast walked visitors through centuries of mythic representations of bats by different cultures. A transitional area with bat portrait photography and a giant-screen video introduced visitors to the real world of bats as diverse, beneficial mammals with fascinating skills and extraordinary abilities.

A hands-on display showcased the evening activities of bats, such as echolocation (sonar ability), pollination, diet and flight. In a demonstration of echolocation, visitors  used a joystick to maneuver a bat model in search of food using a laser to simulate sonar. In a visit to a bat nursery, visitors learned how caring bat mothers are by using sound to help the mother bat find her baby.

Bats are important in many ecosystems across the world. For example, many fruit-bearing trees in the rainforest depend on bats. In order to reproduce, these trees bear fruit that need seed dispersal and are ingested, often by bats. The bats, in turn spread waste material containing seeds that as dispersed, regenerate the rainforest.

Explore More!

The GRPM and Kent District Library have teamed up to offer you more fun and excitement learning about bats with English and Spanish book titles for all ages, available to check out today!

Bat flying

Bats: Masters of the Night comes from Evergreen Exhibitions. Dr. Merlin Tuttle, founder of Bat Conservation International (BCI), serves as scientific consultant, and BCI is recognized as the international leader in conservation and education initiatives that protect bats and their habitats.  Evergreen Exhibitions contributes a percentage of all venue revenue to Bat Conservation International, for ongoing educational outreach.

Sponsored By:

Ambassador

The Steve & Amy Van Andel Foundation

Patron

David and Carol Van Andel Family Foundation logo

Patron

Sustainer