Museum of Natural Sciences of Belgium Museum
Major Brussels museum with extensive natural history collections
The Museum of Natural Sciences in Brussels houses Belgium's large natural history collections, a celebrated dinosaur gallery with Iguanodon fossils, and research exhibits-popular with families and anyone interested in palaeontology and biodiversity.
Museum of Natural Sciences of Belgium at a Glance#
Address: Vautierstraat / Rue Vautier 29, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
Website: https://www.naturalsciences.be/
About Museum of Natural Sciences of Belgium#
Museum of Natural Sciences of Belgium in Brussels is the country’s national natural history museum and part of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences. It is internationally known for its dinosaur displays and palaeontological collections.
- Research institution: The museum is part of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences and serves both public exhibitions and active scientific research programs in palaeontology and biodiversity.
What to See#
- Gallery of Dinosaurs: The Gallery of Dinosaurs displays the mounted Bernissart Iguanodon skeletons recovered from a coal mine in 1878 and is the museum’s most famous attraction.
How to Get to Museum of Natural Sciences of Belgium#
The Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (Museum of Natural Sciences) is in Brussels’ Leopold Park area. Take Brussels metro lines 1 or 5 to Maelbeek/Maalbeek station and walk about 5-10 minutes through Parc Léopold to the museum.
From central Brussels it’s a short drive or taxi ride (a few kilometres); parking and drop-off are available nearby but public transport plus a short walk is usually easiest.
Tips for Visiting Museum of Natural Sciences of Belgium#
- Go early to visit the Dinosaur Hall (the museum's most-visited gallery) before it becomes crowded; an early slot makes it easier to view the large displays and the mounted specimens without queues.
- Start on the upper floors where the major paleontology displays are located, then work down to temporary exhibitions and smaller specialist rooms - many visitors arrive and concentrate on the ground floor displays only.
- Check the museum's schedule on arrival for any guided talks or temporary-show timetables and slot those into your visit; special presentations fill up and can change the flow of visitors through the main galleries.
Best Time to Visit Museum of Natural Sciences of Belgium#
For the Museum of Natural Sciences, aim for weekday mornings in shoulder seasons to avoid the heaviest crowds and school groups.
Weather & Climate near Museum of Natural Sciences of Belgium#
Museum of Natural Sciences of Belgium's climate is classified as Oceanic - Oceanic climate with mild summers (peaking in July) and cold winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from 1°C to 23°C. Moderate rainfall (814 mm/year), distributed fairly evenly throughout the year.
| Month | Comfort | Temp | Feels | Rain | Sky | Humidity | Wind | UV | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Poor | 1° - 6° | 0° | 69 mm | overcast | 93% | 4.4 m/s | 0.1 low | 8.4h |
| February | Poor | 1° - 7° | 0° | 54 mm | overcast | 89% | 4.0 m/s | 0.2 low | 9.9h |
| March | Acceptable | 3° - 10° | 4° | 70 mm | overcast | 84% | 4.1 m/s | 0.4 low | 11.7h |
| April | Good | 5° - 14° | 7° | 55 mm | partly cloudy | 79% | 3.7 m/s | 0.8 moderate | 13.6h |
| May | Good | 9° - 18° | 14° | 69 mm | overcast | 77% | 3.3 m/s | 1.1 high | 15.3h |
| June | Good | 12° - 21° | 16° | 77 mm | overcast | 76% | 3.2 m/s | 1.4 high | 16.2h |
| July | Very Good | 14° - 23° | 18° | 70 mm | partly cloudy | 75% | 3.1 m/s | 1.3 high | 15.7h |
| August | Very Good | 14° - 23° | 18° | 64 mm | overcast | 77% | 2.9 m/s | 1.1 high | 14.3h |
| September | Very Good | 11° - 19° | 15° | 64 mm | partly cloudy | 79% | 3.2 m/s | 0.7 moderate | 12.5h |
| October | Acceptable | 8° - 15° | 11° | 68 mm | overcast | 85% | 3.4 m/s | 0.3 low | 10.6h |
| November | Acceptable | 4° - 10° | 4° | 78 mm | overcast | 91% | 3.8 m/s | 0.1 low | 8.8h |
| December | Poor | 2° - 7° | 1° | 76 mm | overcast | 94% | 4.2 m/s | 0.0 low | 7.9h |
