Brussels protects Museum of Natural Sciences as historical monument
The Brussels government has listed two wings of the Museum of Natural Sciences. The Janlet Wing, completed in 1905, has been listed as a historic monument, while the Vestel Wing and the Geological Survey of Belgium have been added to the list of sites to be preserved. The entire building of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences is now protected.
The Janlet Wing, home to the museum’s dinosaurs, was built between 1898 and 1906, as an extension of the existing wing of the former Redemptorist monastery. Architect Émile Janlet was commissioned to design and oversee its construction in 1891, at the museum’s official opening.
The wing, in the Flemish Neo-Renaissance style, is characterised by the use of exposed natural materials, notably iron and glass.
The regional government has also placed the Vestel Wing on the list of protected sites, along with the building of the Geological Survey of Belgium on the same site. While this is not a full listing, it allows for future refurbishment, particularly to the furnishings and interior architecture of the buildings on Rue Vautier and Rue Jenner. The site still houses numerous laboratories, making these renovations all the more important.
The Vestel Wing was designed by Lucien De Vestel, born in Ixelles in 1902 into a family of architects. Unlike the Janlet Wing, it is in the modernist style, and De Vestel designed both the interior layout and the building itself. The furniture he designed is also preserved there.
The measures were announced by Ans Persoons, Brussels secretary of state for Heritage, during a site visit on Wednesday.
The Museum of Natural Sciences © BELGA PHOTO TIMON RAMBOER
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