The national Natural History Museum Naturalis is a modern museum, rich in tradition. Nature is shown here in all her many colours. You can enjoy an exotic show of nature as it was in the past and as it is now. Each time different, each time new. Naturalis is also a scientific centre for natural history research. For almost two centuries animals, stones, minerals and fossils have been collected, studied and preserved here. 

Meet all kinds of animals

You will see animals that you have never seen before, plants from all over the world, gigantic fossils. Dinosaurs, a mosasaur, and ammonites in many different sizes. Butterflies, beetles, wasps, ants ….hundreds of insects. Birds and fish, lions, rhinos and monkeys. A huge crab more than two metres in width. Snakes and spiders. Stones, minerals and meteorites in every shape and colour. And much, much more! 

Learning through play

You can get to know how nature functions through playing. In Kijkje Aarde a huge boulder tells us about erratic blocks and erosion. Feed the animals in the animal restaurant or watch, on the minerals scanner, where the essential constituents of their food end up in their bodies. Or take part in a hunting trail game and wander through the museum as a naturalist. To which family does the penguin belong? Is it a strong swimmer?