Naturalis
Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden
Naturalis Biodiversity Center reopened its doors in Leiden. A brand-new family museum with everything about nature.
Commissioned by Naturalis, Hypsos worked here on the exhibition “The Early Human”. In this exhibition, visitors are introduced to the history of their species, the human being. To make this complex story attractive and accessible to the target group of Naturalis, an icon has been chosen: Pithecanthropus, Homo erectus, the upright human. The remains of this early human being are top pieces in the development of our thinking about (our) evolution. They were found by the Dutchman Eugène Dubois and are part of the Naturalis collection.
The structure of the presentation follows the motto: Less is more. The room is impressive but simple in its design. First an AV presentation, then a treasure house with the more important fossils and finally a lifelike image of Homo Erectus, based on the fossils, made especially for Naturalis.
- Europe
- Hypsos in Soesterberg, the Netherlands
Brightening effects
The exhibition was designed by Onne Brouwer from Designwolf. He has devised a number of subtle but very illuminating effects for the exhibition that Hypsos has developed in close collaboration with Onne. These are a number of subtle effects that give the exhibition a special touch:
- The display case containing bone fragments and the human model. The femur and skull canopy are displayed in a black frame, which makes them seem to hang in the air. A mirror foil on the center wall of the showcase “projects” the image of the model over the bone fragments, which are suddenly visible at the place where they belong. You could speak of an analogous form of Augmented Reality.
- In the last area there is a lifelike primal woman whose bone fragments have been found. This reconstruction was made by the Dutch artists Adrie and Alfons Kennis. From the ground a number of floodlights are aimed at the rear wall, so that the visitors not only see the shadow of the primeval woman, but also their own. Now they are part of the story about human development.
Design by Onno Brouwer from Designwolf
Hypsos - design development
Hypsos - construction of the exhibition
Hypsos - installation on location
Other parties
Lighting design
Marianne Inkelaar - Objectmounting
Gebr. Kennis & Kennis - Wax statue
We would like to meet!
We would like to inform you more detailed about our cultural projects and of course we’re very curious where we can be of service to you.
Therefore we would like to meet! Call or mail to info@hypsos.com or click below.

Hypsos in Soesterberg
Centurionbaan 220
3769 AV Soesterberg, The Netherlands
Hypsos in Hong Kong
14/F Yau Lee Centre, 45 Hoi Yuen Road
Kwun Tong Kowloon, Hong Kong
Hypsos in Moscow
Ulitsa 1905 Goda 7 Bld 1 floor 6 office K,
123022 Moscow, Russian Federation
Hypsos in São Paulo
Rua Guaipa, 1000, Vila Leopoldina
São Paulo, Brazil
Hypsos in London
The Old Casino 28 Fourth Avenue
Hove East Sussex BN3 2PJ, England