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Museum of Natural Sciences of Belgium

The museum belongs to the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences and is on Rue Vautier, next to Parc Léopold. Its best-known attraction is the dinosaur gallery, with the Bernissart iguanodons: the skeletons were found in 1878 in the Bernissart coal mine, about 322 metres underground, and nearly thirty almost complete specimens were recovered. In Brussels they are shown in a glazed enclosure of 300 m² on three levels, with eight specimens of Iguanodon bernissartensis and one of Mantellisaurus atherfieldensis. The first mounted skeleton was shown in 1883 in the courtyard of the Hôtel de Nassau, and the collection has been in the Janlet wing since 1902. Some specimens are displayed in the basement in the position in which they were found. The museum also has other natural science rooms.

Things to do at Museum of Natural Sciences of Belgium: 3 missions

• See the Bernissart iguanodonsEnter the dinosaur gallery and look at the Iguanodon bernissartensis skeletons in the three-level glass enclosure.
• Find the basement skeletons in their discovery positionGo down to the lower level and find the iguanodons displayed just as they were found in the mine.
• Pick out the Mantellisaurus among the iguanodonsAmong the specimens in the enclosure, find the one skeleton of Mantellisaurus atherfieldensis and compare it with the iguanodons.

Near Museum of Natural Sciences of Belgium

Source: Web oficial - Instituto Real de Ciencias Naturales de Bélgica