Mushrooms: Keys to the Kingdom Fungi

About the Exhibition

Mushrooms: Keys to the Kingdom Fungi is an exhibit vividly portraying the intriguing lives and important roles of fungi in our environment. While the Fungi Kingdom includes more than one million species, this exhibit primarily focuses on the mushroom-producing fungi, but will touch on the idea of other fungi – including molds and yeasts – as well. The exhibit is based around 30 photographs of mushrooms (the fruiting bodies of fungi) in the wild, taken by Northern California plantspeople and naturalists, John Whittlesey and Jennifer Jewell.

Mushrooms aims to increase awareness and appreciation of the incredible beauty, diversity and critical importance of mushroom producing-fungi in our environment. Through large, detailed photographs and supplemental materials, this exhibit introduces viewers to a wide range of mushroom-producing fungi (gilled, pored, jelly, etc.), and their valuable roles in the environment (saprophytic, symbiotic, etc.).

The exhibition explores:

  • What are fungi
  • Parts of a fungi
  • Types of mushroom-producing fungi
  • Ecological roles of fungi/fungal mechanisms
  • Cultural roles of fungi

Exhibition Credits:
Mushrooms: Keys to the Kingdom Fungi is curated by Exhibit Envoy.

Highlights