Interview Laurence Cammaert

Why is it so important to dedicate a museum hall to the human being?
Because it is essential to situate man in his environment. We want to demonstrate that he occupies a place in evolution… even if some children scarcely believe they’ve got something in common with lemurs!

What species in the Museum are providing evidence of this evolution?
In this hall, you can see the most famous human fossils of Belgium. The parts of this “man of Spy” are still perfectly preserved, although they are 35,000 years old! Fossils of extinct animals, such as mammoths, have been found alongside this skeleton. The discovery of a complete ecosystem has confirmed the theory of evolution.

How do children react? Are they impressed?
Before they see the bones, children have already noticed the wooden statue of a Neanderthal man at the entrance of the hall… and one particular part of his anatomy is impressing them a lot more!