Musée d'Histoire naturelle et Vivarium
Belgium's oldest natural history museum (1829), with a vivarium, a science garden, a butterfly house and dioramas in the heart of Tournai.
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Om museet
The Tournai natural history museum is the oldest of its kind in Belgium. Founded under Dutch rule by enthusiasts passionate about science and zoology, it opened to the public on 13 September 1829 in the reception rooms of the Town Hall. Since 1839 it has been housed in the outbuildings of the Saint-Martin Abbey.
Over time the collections suffered: both World Wars left their mark, with animals used as targets in 1914 and a building bombed in 1940. From 1959 the museum was reorganised by volunteer curator Paul Simon, who introduced modern display techniques and created a diorama room where animals are shown in their natural habitat. From 1978 his successor, Philippe Brunin, gave the museum new energy with educational exhibitions and an exhibition on animal art.
In 2001 a vivarium devoted in particular to endangered species opened. Since November 2019, a science garden of some fifteen ares extends the visit, with enclosures for turtles, snakes, lizards and European amphibians, flowering meadows with an educational beehive, a touch pool with fish from our region and a greenhouse of exotic butterflies. After eight months of energy-renovation work, the museum reopened on 6 December 2025. It now also has an international scientific reach.
Højdepunkter
- Belgium's oldest natural history museum, opened in 1829
- Vivarium with endangered species
- Diorama room showing animals in their habitat
- Garden with touch pool, educational beehive and exotic butterfly house
- Housed in the former outbuildings of the Saint-Martin Abbey
Permanente udstillinger
- Collections et vivarium – Mounted zoological collections, the diorama room and a vivarium focusing in particular on endangered species.
- Jardin scientifique et serre à papillons – Science garden with reptile and amphibian enclosures, educational beehive, touch pool and exotic butterfly house; open from 1 April to 31 October.
- Grundlagt
- 1829
- Ejer
- Ville de Tournai
Entrépriser & rabatter
| Voksne | 5 € |
|---|---|
| Nedsat pris | 3 €Seniors (65 and over), young people aged 6 to 18, persons with reduced mobility (Handypass), students from outside the municipality of Tournai, groups of 10 or more |
| Børn og unge | 3 €gratis til og med 5 år · Young people aged 6 to 18; free for children under 6 |
| Pensionister | 3 €From age 65 |
| Personer med handicap | 3 €On presentation of a Handypass |
| Studerende og elever | 3 €Students from outside the municipality of Tournai; free for students from the municipality of Tournai |
| Grupper (fra 10 pers.) | 3 € pr. personGroups of 10 or more. School groups from outside the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles pay €3 per pupil; youth movements, holiday play schemes, boarding schools and recognised youth organisations pay €3 |
| Article 27 | 1,25 €On presentation of the card |
| “Passage” rate (flash visit) | 1 €Entry during the last 15 minutes before closing |
| Passport for 10 entries to museums of your choice | 30 € |
Gratis entré: Every first Sunday of the month, for all visitors
Also free for teachers, the press, Museum Pass holders, museum-related associations, school groups from the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, municipal and CPAS staff, guides from the Tournai guides' association and tourist accommodation providers. Free admission applies on presentation of a card confirming the status. The ticket desk closes half an hour before the museum closes.
Tilgængelighed
- Kørestolsvenlig
- Elevator: ingen oplysninger
- Handicaptoilet
- Handicapparkering: ingen oplysninger
- Servicehunde tilladt: ingen oplysninger
- Taktile tilbud: ingen oplysninger
- Rundvisninger på tegnsprog: ingen oplysninger
- Letlæste tilbud: ingen oplysninger
- Synstolkning: ingen oplysninger
The museum and its toilets are signposted as accessible to people with reduced mobility. Animals are not admitted.
Børn og familie
| Besøgets varighed | ca. 60 min. |
|---|---|
| Entré for børn | gratis til og med 5 år |
- Interaktive stationer
The garden includes a touch pool with fish from our region and a greenhouse of exotic butterflies.
Transport & parkering
Med offentlig transport
Public transport stops are 5 and 10 minutes' walk away.
I bil
Parkering muligt
Free parking 400 metres away; free parking in the blue zone 50 metres away; paid parking 10 metres away.
Service & spisesteder
- Museumsbutik
Souvenir shop.
Arrangementer & udlejning
Museet har ikke offentliggjort oplysninger om dette.
Planlæg dit besøg
| Rundvisninger | ja |
|---|---|
| Audioguide | ja |
| Tilbud til skoler | ja |
| Godt at vide | Guided group visits are arranged through the Tournai Tourist Office (+32 69 22 20 45, tourisme@tournai.be). Playful guided tours, “Le Saviez-vous ?” (Did you know?), take place on certain dates and are included in the admission price. The museum offers activities for school pupils. |
