Exhibit review: ‘Frogs and Friends’ at the Muttart Conservatory

The doors fly open, and you find yourself awash in colour. Vibrant plants paint a landscape of life, and tiny creatures peer out from dark burrows. In one corner, an eight-legged hunter takes a morning stroll. In another, a slender lizard shows off a talent for contortionism. But you’re not in the jungle — you’re in the Frogs and Friends exhibit at the Muttart Conservatory. 

The Muttart Conservatory’s feature pyramid changes regularly. At the moment, its residents include frogs, snakes, lizards, and spiders. The arachnophobes need not fret. They’re all safely contained behind glass enclosures. 

Although the animals are on display, there is an obvious educational initiative. Visitors can learn plenty about amphibians and the risks facing wild frogs by reading the posters. It’s not just science — there are fun facts, too. One poster listed the different ways languages translate “croak” and “ribbit.”

Curiosity is an inescapable force in the exhibit, and laughter is everywhere. Children are running from one enclosure to another, desperate to find the creatures hiding somewhere within the branches. But it’s not just children. The “ooohs” and “aaahs” are universal across age groups. And despite all the educational posters and signs, one lesson reigns above all: in order to admire a frog, you need to find it first.

The African bullfrog tries its best to blend into the mud, but its sheer size gives it away. It is one of the biggest frogs in the world, and a vicious one too. It doesn’t even blink, yet it is watching everything with its horizontal pupils.

Meanwhile, the milky frogs do a much better job of hiding. The pale brown amphibians cling to branches and leaves, impossibly small and delicate.

Unlike the African bullfrog, the new Caledonian crested geckos have a very interesting definition of comfort. While one clings upside down to a branch, another two stick to the glass of the enclosure like a happy pair of magnets.

Beyond the animals, the exhibit is a hybrid between a garden and a work of art. It blends the two together effortlessly. Mounds of flowers reminded me of sprawling bouquets, and added a sense of an old-fashioned garden party elegance to the exhibit.

Palm trees and ferns are a nod to the tropics. They grow up between the flowers, often towering. Pinks and greens dominate the palette, creating a gentle and inviting atmosphere.

The enclosures are well spaced in a largely organic fashion. There is a sense of freedom and openness, rather than zoo-like constraint. 

The ceramic frogs are easy to overlook, as their earthly tones are not especially striking. However, it is exactly this subtleness that makes them feel so fitting. They would be a perfect addition to any backyard patio. In fact, sitting at one of the tables gives the impression that the entire exhibit is outside. 

The peaceful ambience of a waterfall, together with the constant presence of flowers and ferns, creates the illusion that the frogs and their friends are not behind glass after all. We walk into their world, rather than they into ours. The greenery continues beyond the glass, promoting a sense of continuation and balance. In this exhibit — and beyond it — we are not separate from nature.

Frogs and Friends is on display at the Muttart Conservatory until November 17.