Back on our giant Constantine

Born in 1873 in Germany and listed among the 15 greatest human beings in the world, Julius Koch was exhibited in music-hall shows in Europe. Constantine was his stage name. The tours took him to Mons, where he would live for two years, not far from the current Plaza Art cinema. He died in this very city in 1902, following an episode of sepsis. The Mons doctor in charge of his case was keen to recover his body, although the law forbade people from keeping human remains at home. The giant has now found his place at the natural sciences museum and we haven’t heard the last of him!

 

A generous space

1839 is the year the Museum was founded. The collections were built through acquisitions and donations from scientists, naturalists, collectors, informed amateurs and individuals. Thanks to these enthusiasts of natural and environmental sciences, the museum today houses more than 10,000 pieces! From stuffed animals to stones, fossils and herbaria, there’s something to suit all tastes. 1,000 m2 of exhibition space and a hundred display cases to go round with the family. Surprises guaranteed!

An incredible array of animals

Mammals, birds, fish, insects, reptiles and other species are displayed there. You’ll find them in different forms: stuffed, dried, in their skeletons, in their shells, in their skin, in alcohol or in formalin. Most of the items are over 100 years old, which explains why some have neither date nor origin. However, this gives you the opportunity to admire extinct species such as the passenger pigeon and the ivory-billed woodpecker, the New Zealand huia or one of the last wolves sighted in Belgium.