The Dorset Museum & Art Gallery is currently hosting The Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition until 3 November 2024. This exhibition, originating from the Natural History Museum, showcases the world’s finest nature photography, offering visitors an extraordinary glimpse into the beauty and diversity of our planet.
This year’s exhibition features over 100 striking photographs that capture fascinating animal behaviours, remarkable species, and the breathtaking essence of nature. These images tell compelling stories about the natural world and highlight the profound impact of human activity on the environment, conveying messages that words alone cannot express.
Among the captivating photographs are scenes of a lioness and her cubs confronting a wildebeest, Nubian Ibex clashing in the Negev desert, and a bee seemingly constructing its nest. Such images reveal aspects of the natural world that many have never seen before, providing a unique window into the lives of these creatures.
Wildlife Photographer of the Year, established in 1965, is the pinnacle event in nature photo-graphy. This year, the competition attracted almost 50,000 entries from 95 countries. A panel of industry experts at the Natural History Museum in London had the daunting task of selecting the top 100 photographs based on creativity, originality, and technical excellence.
Claire Dixon, Executive Director at Dorset Museum, expressed her excitement about hosting the exhibition. “We are delighted to host this fantastic exhibition. As the only Dorset venue to welcome this show, we can enable local audiences to enjoy world-class photography up close. Hosting over the summer period also means that those visiting the county will be able to add this exhibition to their ‘must do’ list.”
Dr. Doug Gurr, Director of the Natural History Museum, emphasized the exhibition’s relevance amidst the current environmental crises. “We are facing urgent biodiversity and climate crises, and photography is a powerful catalyst for change. The Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition reveals some of nature’s most wondrous sights whilst offering hope and achievable actions visitors can take to help protect the natural world.”
The Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition promises to be an awe-inspiring, educational, and thought-provoking experience, uniting people of all ages in appreciation of the natural world and its conservation. Open daily 10am-5pm in Dorchester.
Top photo: © Zeyu Zhai