Visitors witness a cockroach race taking place in the Under the Bug Top section of the exhibit.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Terminix unveiled a traveling educational exhibit named Harry’s Big Adventure: My Bug World! Feb. 13 at The Children’s Museum of Memphis. 

The exhibit, developed by Terminix, is a multisensory experience that immerses visitors into the world of bugs. Hosted by Harry the Chinese praying mantis and his insect friends, the exhibit features live bugs, video, audio, games and more and is designed to give spectators an up-close view of nature and a new perspective of the role insects play in our environment. 

“As a company, we’ve always worked to advance the awareness and understanding of insects,” said Tom Brackett, Terminix president and chief operating officer. “Given our knowledge and expertise of the insect world, it was only fitting that we develop this one-of-a-kind experience that celebrates insects in their natural environment and educates people about the complex role they play in our ecosystem.”

Harry’s Big Adventure: My Bug World! takes visitors on a unique journey through the habitats, sights, sounds and social structures of some of the ecosystem’s smallest, yet most important contributors. Guests get an opportunity to explore freestanding habitats like a cropland, forest, meadow, swamp and even a house to see how insects and arthropods impact their surroundings, the environment and ultimately human lives. Special weekend programming  features a live insect petting zoo, cricket spitting competitions, roach races and a bug chef. 

Harry the Chinese praying mantis originally made headlines in 2008 when he traveled from Memphis, Tenn., to New Orleans, La., for the grand opening of Audubon Insectarium, the largest freestanding museum of its kind in the United States. Harry was the final bug to enter the Insectarium’s collection. Since then Harry has journeyed to other science centers and children’s museums to educate the world about bugs and has enjoyed so much success that Terminix decided to create an exhibit to further his efforts. 

Harry’s Big Adventure: My Bug World! is more than 3,000 square feet in size and will travel to educational centers around the country. The exhibit will be at The Children’s Museum of Memphis through June 13.