Museum of Natural History and Vivarium

Founded in 1828 under Dutch rule, this museum was the first in the country to become accessible to the general public. Its curiosity cabinet, its spectacular items on display, such as the Aldabra giant tortoise, the Asian lion and the Komodo dragon, and its live animals impress both young and old… This rich collection comes from all over the world. Dioramas reproduce the natural environment of certain animals. The vivarium houses some hundred species of reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates, some of which are threatened with extinction.In 1839 the museum moved to the old brewery of the Saint-Martin abbey and acquired the first elephant to be on display in Belgium. This building in neoclassical style, designed by the Tournai architect Bruno Renard to house zoological collections, has been meticulously preserved and is worth a visit for its architecture alone. In 2012 the Museum of natural history and Vivarium was classified as a category B museum.