Micropia

Micropia is a museum in Amsterdam devoted to microbes, the living things too small to see with the naked eye, and when it opened in 2014 it was presented as the first museum of its kind in the world. It stands beside Artis, the old Amsterdam zoo, on the Plantage Kerklaan, and it is part of the same organisation, which makes it easy to pair a visit with the zoo. The museum was created to show that microbes are not merely germs to be feared but a vast and essential part of life, living on our skin, in our bodies, in soil, in water and in food.

The starting point of microbiology is Dutch. In the seventeenth century, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek of Delft used lenses he ground himself to see tiny creatures in a drop of water, and he was the first person to describe bacteria and single-celled organisms. The museum honours that tradition by giving visitors the chance to look through microscopes at living organisms. Specimens are projected onto large screens, so that bacteria, yeasts, algae and tiny animals appear in extraordinary detail, moving, dividing and feeding. Seeing them alive makes a stronger impression than seeing pictures.

The displays cover a wide range of subjects. Exhibits explain how microbes make bread, cheese, yoghurt and beer, how they digest food in our guts and why they matter for health, as well as how some cause disease and how the body and medicine fight them. Other sections look at the extremes of microbial life, with organisms that survive in boiling water, ice or space. Interactive stations let visitors explore their own connection to the microbial world, and scanning devices show what lives on hands and faces. The museum is designed to be accessible to all ages, with clear explanations and surprising facts, and it works for older children as well as adults.

A visit usually takes one and a half to three hours, depending on how much time is spent at the microscopes. Tickets are generally cheaper when bought online in advance, and children under a certain age enter free, while museum cards often give free entry. Check opening times and prices before going.

The museum suits families with older children, students and anyone curious about science. It is in the Plantage district, near the Hortus Botanicus and the Resistance Museum. A tram connects it with the centre. Combine it with Artis for a full day.