Living Links: Discover our connections with nature
What connects plants, animals and people? Discover the surprising relationships that link life on Earth in Living Links, an exhibition co-created by 28 Year 12 students from schools and colleges across the UK.
Created during a week-long residential in Cambridge in April 2026, the exhibition explores the extraordinary biological connections across our planet. From plants that disguise themselves as animals to humanity’s complex relationship with other living things, it reveals how interconnected the natural world is.
The exhibition was developed through Future Museum Voices, an outreach programme run by the University of Cambridge Museums. Now in its fourth year, the programme encourages young people from a wider range of backgrounds to consider university and careers in museums and heritage.
Working with Cambridge University Botanic Garden and the Museum of Zoology, the students chose the exhibition’s theme and content, wrote the accompanying texts and helped bring their ideas to life.
A message from the students
The students describe themselves as young activists who want to promote conservation through education and give young people a voice in shaping the future. In their own words:
“From plants that disguise themselves as animals, all the way to humanity’s complex relationship with the other living things, our world – although so amazingly diverse – is more similar than you may believe.
We are a collaboration of young activists that strive towards conservation of the natural world through education. As students, we aim to provide a voice for young people and the world that we will inherit. In our shared voice, we wish to stress the importance of conserving the natural beauty of our planet, to ensure that future generations will be able to experience the fascinating realities of our Earth.
As you walk through the exhibition, we invite you to consider the historical, present and future impacts of our society and species on the others that we share this planet with. No matter scale or distance, we are all connected.”
Continue exploring
Follow the Living Links trail in the Garden, then visit the Museum of Zoology to discover the rest of the exhibition. Entry to the Museum of Zoology is free; check the museum’s website for opening times.
