Media Release
8 October 2025
Discover the fascinating world of bees and books in a new exhibition at the State Library and Archives of Tasmania.
This summer, The Histori of Bees exhibition showcases a rare and remarkable treasure from the State Library and Archives collection: a book published in 1634 titled The Feminin’ Monarchi’, or The Histori of Bees, written by Englishman Charles Butler.
Also on display are photographs from the Tasmanian Beekeepers Association which were recently gifted to the State Library and Archives of Tasmania.
Visitors to the exhibition can step into stories of language, history, music and bees. Charles Butler composed a madrigal – a musical piece for several singers – inspired by the sound of bees swarming.
The exhibition also includes a series of talks about honey and bees, featuring Jessica Locarnini who is Australia’s only honey sommelier and Dr Shasta Henry, aka Dr Bugg, an entomologist and engaging science communicator.
Published almost 400 years ago, The Histori of Bees was the go-to guide for beekeeping for over two centuries. The book was generously donated to the State Library and Archives of Tasmania by the Lewis family in 2022. Yet how it came to Tasmania and who annotated it over the centuries remains a mystery.
What makes the 1634 edition special is that Butler’s use of phonetic English. Reading the book aloud helps bring the text to life. Visitors can be immersed in enlarged pages of the exquisite book and try reading the book themselves. It also contains tiny handwritten notes in an unusual shorthand by an unknown author.
The Feminin’ Monarchi’, or The Histori of Bees has been digitised and is available online via the Libraries Tasmania catalogue.
Visit the Libraries Tasmania website to learn more about the exhibition and book on Eventbrite for talks and events as part of The Histori of Bees exhibition.
Details:
The Histori of Bees – free exhibition
11 October 2025 – 8 February 2026
State Library and Archives of Tasmania
Allport Library and Museum of Fine Arts
Ground Floor, 91 Murray Street
Hobart, Tasmania
Communications and Marketing – 6165 6386 or 0417 465 669
