In a special Media Partnership with The Brussels Times, the Institute of Natural Sciences brings you an exclusive look inside the most anticipated blockbuster cultural event of the season.
To WIN tickets to see the 'Animazing' exhibition, which features 78 extraordinary animals with bizarre survival strategies, answer the question below.
CLUE: The answer is hidden in the "Nature's superpowers under the spotlight" section.
Question: Which of these is a real animal 'superpower' showcased in the exhibit?"
- A) A sea slug that uses photosynthesis
- B) A pigeon that predicts the Brussels weather
- C) A fox that can blend into cobblestones
Nature's superpowers under the spotlight
The scale of the exhibition features 78 animals and their extraordinary abilities.
Structured around a bold, colorful scenography, visitors literally step through openings in the museum walls to leave reality behind and enter four distinct, sensory-rich environments:
- The Forest of Imaginary Trees: Plunge into anatomical wonders. Meet the sea slug that performs plant-like photosynthesis, the acrobatic spider monkey, and the bizarre sperm whale that sleeps completely upright in the water.
- The Interactive Islands: Focus on speed, strength, and raw coordination. Visitors can take on cooperative challenges to see how they match up against nature, learning how ostriches run marathons and how tiny dung beetles manipulate ten times their own body weight.
- The Immersive Cave: A space entirely dedicated to deception and mimicry. Visitors must use sharp eyesight to find camouflaged creatures hiding in the rocks, like the octopus that can flawlessly imitate other species or the pufferfish that rapidly inflates to ward off predators.
- The Sensory Icebergs: Built to stimulate the senses, this zone showcases animals with highly advanced perception. It features the seasonal color-changing ptarmigan, the chameleon that moves its eyes independently, and the okapi, which hears frequencies completely silent to humans.
Practical information
- Dates: October 16, 2026 – August 29, 2027.
- Location: Institute of Natural Sciences, Rue Vautier 29, 1000 Brussels (Steps from the European Parliament).
- Tickets: Around €15 for a standard adult ticket. Crucially, a single ticket grants full entry to both the permanent collections (including the world-famous Dinosaur Gallery) and the temporary Animazing exhibition. Discounts are available for youth, teachers, and retirees.
- Languages Available: English, French, Dutch, and German.
- Official Website & Booking: Find more details on the official Institute of Natural Sciences platform.
