Planet Belgium: five posters

Posters

The unique posters (A2 format) are also available for sale in our MuseumShop (29 Vautier Street, Brussels).

Illustrations by Vinciane Decamps (Vinch Atelier), specially designed for the Institute of Natural Sciences.

Planet Belgium (1) - We are Avalonians

The origin of Belgium – and of Central Europe – lies on a mysterious little continent called ‘Avalonia’. About 500 million years ago, it set out on an unlikely odyssey from the South Pole. Enjoy our longread!

Planet Belgium (2) - When Belgium was a tropical coral reef

Four hundred million years ago, Belgium lay just below the equator. After a violent period of collisions and mountain formation, a quieter time dawned. Our land was eroding into a plat pays and was largely submerged underneath a tropical sea with immense coral reefs. These would ultimately petrify and form the world-famous Belgian marble. Enjoy the longread!

Planet Belgium (3) - When Belgium was a tropical swamp forest

Go back 300 million years and our country is a swampy forest right on the equator. Amongst strange trees, cockroaches fly, giant dragonflies hover and gi-gan-tic centipedes crawl. In the foliage, the first reptiles lay their eggs. The plant-filled and soggy world of the late Carboniferous will be compressed into coal. Enjoy the longread!