Naturalis Biodiversity Center
Darwinweg 2
2333 CR Leiden
Telefoon: 071 - 7519 600
Website: Naturalis
Opening hours:
Daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m
Our spring break holiday trip goes to Naturalis in Leiden. What is Naturalis? It is a very large Museum with a scientific collection of almost 4.5 million objects in its permanent collection. It is also an Academic Research Institute for Biodiversity, where more than 100 scientists and researchers work. Everything in the field of nature is studied here, from the first animals and humans to the nature of today.
But why did the mini monsters choose Naturalis? They want to see real dinosaurs, even if it's just the skeletons. Besides, they collect stones and minerals, so this is just the perfect trip for them!
First we go and visit our world famous T-Rex Trix!
And there you are, face to face with the real T-Rex Trix! Isn't that special!
She is beautiful up close! Let's read the sign ... We read that there is a hole in Trix's head and how she probably got it. There are a lot of scientists working here who research all these things. That's why we now know so much about Trix and the other Dinosaurs. Even how long Trix has approximately lived, but we won't spoil it ;)
But there are more dinosaurs to see in Naturalis and not at all little ones. Their skeletons are very impressive and amazingly beautiful!
Then we go and see the Netherlands in the Ice Age, which is also very special
When we walk in we see walls full of very big bones and then a real mammoth skeleton! Even if it's not a dinosaur, it is still very awesome and impressive, with it's huge tusks! We also see a kind of deer and (also very special!) a Cave bear skeleton in this room.
Through a viewer we watch how groups of animals long ago in the ice age migrated over the barren plains. There is also a half frozen river made in the scenery, where you can see the animals cross in search of food. It is a large diorama that's beautifully made!
Then we go on to our second mission: finding rocks and minerals
We've been looking forward to this too and we are not disappointed! We see the most amazing, beautiful stones, semi precious stones and minerals. Here too we may ask about all we'd like to know and everyone is just so kind and patient!
What a wonderful morning we had and we have seen so many amazing, cool things. We also learned a lot today, but that actually went almost unnoticed. :))
Now we will have a coffee, a visit to the museum giftshop and then we will be on our way home.
This is the museum is beautiful but also very large, so there is still a lot that we have not seen. The best museum ever, the mini monsters sigh. Moreover, everyone was so nice and patient, the kids loved that the people there knew so much and took their time to tell us!
We're going back in May!