The Museum of Natural Sciences of Brussels is integrated to the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences. The Museum is located in the Park Leopold not far from the European Parliament.
The Institute is known for its collection of dinosaurs. Indeed, in 1878, in the coal mine of Bernissart in the Hainaut province of Belgium, at a depth of 300 m (985 ft), are discovered about 30 nearly complete skeletons of an unknown species of dinosaurs, the Iguanodon bernissartensis. This new specie of dinosaur was living at around 135 Million years ago. In the coal mine, numerous fossils of plants, crocodiles, turtles, fishes, insects, … have also been found.
Since 2007, a new gallery is dedicated to the dinosaurs. The Museum has the biggest gallery dedicated to dinosaurs of Europe. The Iguanodons are very impressive and are worth to be seen.
The Museum only shows a little part of the rich collection of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences. With its 38 millions of specimens, the institute has indeed one of the 10 most important collection of natural sciences in the world, and the 3rd one in Europe (after Paris and London). The Iguanodons of Bernissart, the Neanderthals of Spy, the Dautzenberg shell collection, the four lunar rock fragments, the Tasmanian wolf and the insect collection of Baron De Selys Longchamps are among his treasures.
How to get to the Museum of Natural Sciences?
Address: Rue Vautier (French) / Vautierstraat (Dutch) 29 in Brussels
Public transport
The Museum of Natural Sciences is located next to the European Quarter and it is very easy to access.
By train, the Museum is at 500 m (0.3 mi) from the Brussels Luxembourg Station. If you come by train, you will benefit from a 50% reduction on your train journey way and back to Brussels. To benefit this reduction, you need to buy your ticket for the Museum online. Then buy your train ticket with the code received on the ticket of the Museum on the following link: www.belgiantrain.be.
By bus, you have the stop Museum of the lines 34 and 80 at a distance of 250 m (0.15 mi) and the stop Luxembourg (French) / Luxemburg (Dutch) of line 34, 38, 80 and 95 at 400 m (0.3 mi).
From the center (near the Grand Place), it is recommended to take the bus 95 until Luxembourg. The trip takes around 30 min.
Car
If you come with the car, pay attention that the Museum is located in the Low Emission Zone (LEZ).
The parking of the Museum is also very limited and it is in priority dedicated to visitors with reduced mobility. For this reason, visitors with reduced mobility have to contact the Security service at least the day before their visit to prepare their arrival (more information on the website of the Museum).
Opening hours
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday – Friday | 9:30 – 17:00 |
| Week-end and Belgian school holidays longer than one week | 10:00 – 18:00 |
The last entry is at 15:30 from Tuesday to Friday and at 16:30 in the week-end or in the Belgian school holidays longer than one week.
The Museum closes at 15:00 on the 24th and the 31st December
The Museum is closed on the 25th December, 1st of January and 1st May.
The dates of the Belgian school holidays are available on: www.enseignement.be
Tickets
| Adults | € 13 |
| Seniors (≥ 65 years) | € 10 |
| Disabled visitors | € 10 |
| Students (aged from 18 to 23 years with a valid student card) | € 5 |
| Children and teenagers (aged from 4 to 17 years) and accompanied by an adult | € 5 |
| Teachers (excluding school visits) | € 5 |
| Friends of the Institute | € 5 |
| Children (< 4 years) accompanied by one paying adult | Free |
| Person accompanying one disabled visitor | Free |
| Teachers on a preparation of a school visit on presentation of the teachers card AND confirmation of a reservation | Free |
| Holders of the Museum of Natural Sciences annual pass | Free |
| Holders of the ICOM, BELSPO, 365.be / Riebedebie.be cards | Free |
| Holders of the Brussels Card | Free |
| Holders of a press card | Free |
| Members of an association of science teachers (such as Probio, ABPPC, FRGEPRO, VOB, VeLeWe, VLA), on presentation of their membership card | Free |
Like most of the museums in Brussels, the Museum of Natural Sciences if free for everybody on the first Wednesday of every month after 13:00.
Tickets can be bought online on the website of the Museum: https://ticket.naturalsciences.be
Groups and Guided Tours
Groups
| Adults | € 10 |
| Children and young people (2 – 13 years) | € 5 |
Entry is free for groups on every first Wednesday of the month after 13:00.
Booking is mandatory for groups. More information on the website of the Museum: www.naturalsciences.be
Guided tours
| Length | Maximum number of people per guide | Price adults in weekdays | Price adults in weekends and holidays | Price Children | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided tour | 75 minutes | 15 | € 80 | € 96 | € 45 |
| Tour of the archives with scientists | 75 minutes | 15 | € 80 | € 45 |
More information on the website of the Museum: www.naturalsciences.be
