Museum of Natural Sciences — Attraction in Brussels

Oh, Bro, buckle up for a dino-mite adventure! 🦕✨

If you're in Brussels and looking for a place where science comes alive, the Museum of Natural Sciences is your ultimate destination . Nestled in the charming Leopold Park, this museum isn't just a building filled with exhibits; it's a time machine that whisks you away on a journey through Earth's fascinating history .

First stop: the Dinosaur Gallery. This isn't just any dinosaur exhibit; it's the largest in Europe! Imagine standing face-to-face with 30 nearly complete Iguanodon skeletons, discovered in a Belgian coal mine back in 1878. These ancient giants are displayed in dynamic poses, making you feel like you've stepped into the Cretaceous period. And it's not just Iguanodons; you'll also meet a T. rex, Triceratops, Diplodocus, and many other prehistoric pals.

But the adventure doesn't stop there! The Gallery of Humankind takes you on a journey through our own evolution, showcasing lifelike reconstructions of early hominids. It's like looking into a mirror that reflects our ancient past. Then there's the Living Planet exhibit, a vibrant celebration of biodiversity that makes you appreciate the incredible variety of life on Earth.

Feeling like a rock star? The Mineral Hall dazzles with sparkling crystals, meteorites, and even precious bits of Moon rock. It's a geological treasure trove that will leave you starstruck.

And let's not forget the temporary exhibitions! They're always fresh, interactive, and thought-provoking. For instance, the "Wild?" exhibition challenges our perceptions of wildness and explores the boundary between humans and animals.

The museum is also incredibly family-friendly, with interactive displays and educational activities that engage visitors of all ages. It's a place where curiosity is sparked, questions are encouraged, and learning feels like an adventure.

So, whether you're a science enthusiast, a curious traveler, or someone looking to relive the wonder of childhood, the Museum of Natural Sciences in Brussels is a must-visit. It's not just a museum; it's a celebration of life, history, and the incredible journey of our planet. Don't miss out on this...

What a great discovery of the weekend! For sure I am a great fan of museums, but I was not sure how my 3yo will react. To my total awe, he loved it, he really related to different exhibitions and involved as much as possible in the interactive activities.

Of course, the great hit was the "Teddy & Beer / Ours et Nounours / Teddy & Bear" expo. Proficiat! / Bravo! / Kudos! for the exhibition that gains the heart of the little ones since the first steps. This expo is open until September, so you should better add it to your calendar soon. We had fun discovering things together.

Another hit was the dinosaur permanent expo and I guess it does not need details. Even for young kids there are lots to discover, if you already talked about dinosaurus before and they have a general idea of what a skeleton is. The most difficult part was to explain extinction and the related "what does it mean 'dead'?"...

Easy to grab attention: the Biodiversity, the Evolution, with stuffed animals/ models, plenty of photos, interactive devices (audioguide, short videos etc). My son even enjoyed the evolution video on the 4th floor. It comes with translation in NL/FR/EN/DE (headphones), and as it is an animation I was able to easily follow the story and "translate" it to an even shorter and simple story for a 3yo.

We did not have time to see the minerala or the human body expos, but we will come back!

Prices: compares to other museums the prices are friendly : about 8 euro/ entry for adults, free for kids under 4yo, a very inviting 30 euro/year subscription (which comprises all expos and you get a diplodocus pin for free :) ). Workshops and "stage" are organised, but as far I have seen for kids aged 8 and older. You can also organise b-days - more details on their website.

Other amenities: The Museum has a shop, but we were too tired to visit. It also has a Café with dofferent temptations to taste. But if you have your lunch with you, there is also a "picnic" ares with tables and chairs (inside) that cand be used. Really budget friendly!

Outside people hang around the big dinosaur and in the small park on one end pf the parking. There are some benches for...

Although many of the dinosaurs and fossils in this museum are replicas, it's still more than worth a visit. For, not only is the museum home to the famous Bernissart iguanodons that changed our scientific understanding of dinosaurs forever - and thus are part of the history of science - it also houses an impressive collection of mosasaur fossils that includes some very rare specimens. Add to that the newly exhibited skeleton of Arkhane - an as of yet to be described new species of allosaur - and "evolution gallery", and the museum has more than enough to offer both for the casually interested and more scientifically versed.

This is especially true of the dinosaur gallery, where numerous interactive and engaging exhibits provide a fun way for children to learn about dinosaurs. This experience continues into the museum shop, which offers a broad selection of dinosaur books, toys and paraphernalia for children.

Both this focus on interactive exhibits and the new evolution gallery provide the museum with a spacious, fresh and modern look, even if it is housed in beautiful 19th century buildings. It just has a very stylish look! Information provision is designed to fit with the individual gallaries' characters, but is typically minimal with individual specimens, yet accompanied by more detailed informative displays close-by. Multimedia- and video presentations further complete the educational offer, which means that the museum doesn't provide too much detailed information for the specialist. However, it makes for an excellently graded way of providing knowledge to others. Moreover, all information is provided in four languages - French, Flemish, English and German - which is rare in many other museums and definitely helps give this one its international allure.

Definitely...