Naturalis Biodiversity Center
The national natural history collection, with one of the most complete Tyrannosaurus skeletons ever found.
Updated 21 October 2026
Naturalis holds around forty-two million specimens, which makes it one of the larger natural history collections in the world, built from the old national museum, the Leiden university herbarium and the Amsterdam zoological museum merged together. The building was rebuilt and reopened in 2019 with a permanent display arranged by theme rather than taxonomy. Its best-known object is Trix, a Tyrannosaurus rex excavated in Montana in 2013 and bought by the museum - a large adult female with around eighty per cent of the skeleton present, which puts her among the three most complete T. rex specimens known and makes her the only one of that quality in Europe. She shows healed injuries and infections from a long life. There is also a very large Dutch fossil and mineral collection, dioramas, a Neanderthal section and the working research institute behind the galleries.
History
Naturalis goes back to the Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie, created by royal decree on 9 August 1820. It merged with the national geology and mineralogy museum in 1984, opened a public building in 1998 that took in the Pesthuis of 1657-1661, joined the Zoological Museum Amsterdam and the national herbaria in 2010, and reopened in a new building on 31 August 2019; it was named European Museum of the Year 2021 (Wikipedia, Naturalis Biodiversity Center).
Highlights
- Trix the Tyrannosaurus - about eighty per cent complete, among the three best known.
- Healed injuries in the bone - a long and violent life visible in the skeleton.
- Forty-two million specimens - one of the larger natural history collections anywhere.
- A 2019 rebuild - the display arranged by theme rather than by taxonomy.
When to go
All year. A day.
Before you go
Extremely busy in school holidays and at weekends - book timed tickets. The display is aimed at families and the labelling is light for anyone wanting depth. Only a fraction of the collection is shown.
Nearby
The Rijksmuseum van Oudheden and Rijksmuseum Boerhaave are in central Leiden.
Key facts
Source: Wikidata, item Q641676, read on 18 October 2026.
What to pack for Naturalis Biodiversity Center
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
- Comfortable walking shoes - Sightseeing means kilometres of pavement and cobbles daily. Find on Amazon
- A slim anti-theft daypack - Zips that close properly; keep it in front in crowds and on transit. Find on Amazon
- A refillable water bottle - Many cities have public fountains; save money and plastic. Find on Amazon
- A light layer + compact umbrella - For museum air-con and a sudden shower. Find on Amazon
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