Death

Dood gang

Quite literally, death leads to rebirth. As nature's circle of life treats both equally, it's no wonder that a museum about every aspect of life should devote a gallery to death.

Visit Naturalis

Experience the beauty and richness of the natural world at Naturalis in Leiden. Go exploring with the entire family in all our exhibition halls.

Tickets

No life
without death

Enter the "maze of death" to reach the point where life and death meet. As you wander around the gallery, accompanied by the sound of crows cawing, you come across the many faces of death. The atmosphere is lightened by the occasional appearance of a squirrel, which takes you on some light-hearted mental leaps. For example, does every living thing die? It may even make you question your own place in the universe. The maze of death is also the labyrinth of life.

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The idea
behind Death

Death is a mysterious event at the end of every person's life. We don't know when it will happen or what it means for us. That's why this gallery is not open-plan, but a maze with curved walls and wondrously spotlighted objects at different heights: high, low, down in the ground. Each corner or recess offers something new. At the end, a panoramic video offers a powerful conclusion: death leads to rebirth. That notion closes the circle of life – a fitting end to your Naturalis visit.

The highlight
of Death

This remarkable Naturalis gallery is one of a kind. No other museum of natural history has devoted a gallery to death, which is after all an emotionally charged subject. We have done so because death is an inextricable part of life. The "maze of death" welcomes you inside with its impressive design and surprising objects that take you ever further. Eventually, you reach the point where life and death meet at the center of the gallery. Pondering death doesn't have to be morbid after all!

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