museum
Micropia
The world's only museum of microbes, part of the Artis complex.
Photo: ARTIS - Micropia / Google
Beside the Artis zoo in the leafy Plantage district, Micropia is the world's first and only museum dedicated entirely to microbes — the invisible life that's everywhere, in the air, on your skin and in your gut. Opened in 2014, it makes a hidden world visible and surprisingly beautiful.
It's an interactive, laboratory-like experience rather than a hall of glass cases: you peer at living micro-organisms through powerful microscopes and watch lab technicians at work.
What you'll see
Highlights include living tardigrades (water bears) with larger-than-life sculptures, a leaf-cutter ant farm where ants cultivate fungi, the artwork-like Fungal Wall, a wall of Petri dishes, and a body scanner that shows which microbes live on different parts of you. The lighting is kept dim to protect the microbes, which makes the glowing displays all the more striking.
Good to know
Plan around 60 to 90 minutes. It works well for older children (roughly 8 and up) and is a great rainy-day choice. You can buy a combination ticket with the Artis zoo and the Groote Museum next door.
Tips from locals
When you step into the lift at the start, look up — there's an animation about the mites living on your eyelashes.
Allow 60 to 90 minutes; it's small but dense, with lots to peer at under the microscopes.
It's an excellent rainy-day option — the dim, indoor galleries feel the same whatever the weather.
Combine it with Artis zoo or the nearby Hortus Botanicus for a full day in the Plantage.
Payments are card-only, so don't rely on cash.
Did you know?
Micropia is the first and only museum in the world dedicated entirely to microbes.
It opened in 2014 and is part of Artis, one of the oldest zoos in Europe (founded 1838).
You're carrying around 1.5 kilograms of microbes in and on your body right now.
Its living exhibits include tardigrades — microscopic 'water bears' that can survive extremes like radiation and the vacuum of space.
The Fungal Wall is an artwork by Dutch artist Lizan Freijsen, inspired by the beauty of invisible life.
FAQ
- What is Micropia?
- The world's only museum dedicated entirely to microbes, part of the Artis complex in the Plantage.
- Where is it?
- At Plantage Kerklaan 38-40, next to the Artis zoo.
- Is it suitable for children?
- Yes, especially for ages 8 and up; younger kids can enter, but the galleries are dark and the concepts abstract.
- How long should I plan?
- Around 60 to 90 minutes.
- Can I combine it with the zoo?
- Yes — combination tickets with Artis and the Groote Museum are available.
Micropia, Amsterdam
Plantage Kerklaan 38-40, 1018 CZ, Amsterdam