Permanente Exhibition

Mosasaur Hall

At the time when the tyrannosaurs ruled the continents, gigantic predatory lizards roamed the seas. These were the mosasaurs.

Strangely, not many people have ever heard of them. That is why we have decided to present a few of the specimens from our mosasaur collection, one of the biggest in the world. These are now on display in a cosy, well-lit gallery next to our iguanodon exhibit in the basement.

Here, you can admire a 12.5-metre-long Belgian specimen, Hainosaurus bernardi, compare the anatomy of the mosasaurs with that of reptiles and other modern-day animals, understand the mechanics of how they swam, and much more.

All ages
Approximately 1 hour
Included in the entry ticket
Point 5 on the map

Remarkable Elements

Hainosaurus bernardi

The Hainosaurus bernardi is one of the largest mosasaurs known to date.

Skulls that Speak Volumes

By looking at mosasaurs' skulls, we can deduce information about how they lived

A Creature to Be Reckoned With

They could certainly hold their own against the large sharks that cruised the same seas during the Upper Cretaceous period!

The Bernissart Iguanodons at a glance

Where do all primates come from?

Past, Present and Future: the Marvels of Evolution

Even more about dinosaurs

More exhibitions

Visitors in this hall

Share your pictures with #naturalsciencesbelgium

Scientific research and collections

Ecosystems over time

Research theme: using fossil evidence from the deep past informs on changes in climate and on other physical variables that have triggered biotic events (extinctions, recoveries, radiations...).

Palaeontology Collections

The only way to reconstruct ecosystems of times long gone is through fossils, the fossilized remains of the fauna and flora of the time. Our palaeontological collections are incredibly rich and diverse, and with the Bernissart Iguanodons, have world stars in their ranks.

To science