Our patch of land in the heart of Europe has been on an eventful journey that has taken around five hundred million years. A long time before it actually existed as a country, Belgium started out near the South Pole, crossed the equator and has docked – for the time being at least – in the Northern Hemisphere. It was a voyage full of dramatic collisions that have made our country a geological El Dorado.

Let's hitch a ride with geologists, palaeontologists and citizen scientists as they reconstruct the landscape and the life that once swam, crawled or flew in it.

Get ready to go on the most in-depth journey through our country.

Planet Belgium is a series by the Institute of Natural Sciences
consisting five longreads and five posters.
From December 2025 to September 2026, a new episode will be released every two months.
 

Longreads (1/5)

Planet Belgium (1) - We are Avalonians

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

Posters

Order online (FR)

Order online (NL)


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.

Podcast (1/5) - only in Dutch

Planet Belgium (1) - We are Avalonians - Podcast

The origin of Belgium is a mysterious little continent called ‘Avalonia’. About half a billion years ago, it began an incredible odyssey from the South Pole. Listen to the first podcast episode in Dutch and discover the oldest rocks in our country and the earliest traces of life.