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EXPERIENCE WONDER - GET INSPIRED

A CABINET OF HUMAN CREATIVITY & INNOVATION

Dear visitors,

It is with sincere regret that we inform you that the museum is temporarily closed due to personal circumstances. We understand that this news may be disappointing for those who were looking forward to visiting us.

For many years, the museum has enjoyed an established reputation as a top attraction, where visitors were enchanted by the rich collection and unique experience it offered. Bizarium was more than just a museum; it was a journey through the wonders of human ingenuity and the power of creativity, where visitors encountered the realization that failure and experimentation are inherent to innovative progress.

We appreciate your understanding and hope to welcome you back soon to Bizarium – Cabinet of Human Creativity & Innovation.

Bizarium is a remarkable cabinet of Human Creativity. A 'wonder room' of brilliant inventors and their boundless imagination, technical ingenuity and especially infinite passion.

Bizarium museum inspires and wonders with ingenious, scientific and crazy inventions. Just think of a flying bicycle, a walking submarine, a hair growth helmet, a swimming umbrella, as well as designs by geniuses such as Leonardo da Vinci, Athanasius Kircher and Nikola Tesla. This exceptional, private collection conveys the message that failure and experimentation are at the heart of innovation and progress.

Bizarium is located in the picturesque town of Sluis in Zeeland (NL), a stone's throw from Cadzand, Knokke and the Belgian border.

 

The Bizarium opens its doors a limited number of days/year to unveil its unique private collection to the public. The Bizarium has a limited visitor capacity, due to its size and the many objects on display. To offer visitors a comfortable and unique museum visit, we work with 15-minute time-slots. Please book your ticket in advance online as there are only a limited number of tickets available per time-slot/day.

"Imagination is the beginning of creation."
G. B. Shaw

"Imagination is more important than knowledge"
Albert Einstein

Bizarium calls genius and crazy ideas, which for centuries existed only on paper, to life, forming not only a tribute to all the inventors of the past but also an appeal to all creative thinkers today.

 

CABINET OF CURIOSITIES

The Bizarium is a 'Wunderkammer' of creativity - a cabinet of curiosities - The museum is overflowing with ingenious and bizarre inventions. Curiosity is constantly aroused and the eclectic arrangement takes you from one surprise to another. Bizarium presents a dazzling collection of inventions of extraordinary creativity and innovation, and tells a story of man's ingenuity and his quest to improve life on earth.

"It's not a museum. It's not a place of artifacts; it's a place of ideas."

 

OUR STORY

Bizarium is a private collection of the designer duo Marc De Jonghe and Ann Geerinck. The inspirers, thinkers and makers of this surprising cabinet of curiosities. With their years of experience in design and a passion for creativity, Marc & Ann have built a museum from scratch. A museum of bizarre inventions, in the old tradition of a Wunderkammer. Their aim was to create a universal reflection on human creativity, inventiveness, passion and the search for ideas to improve the world.

 

 

LEONARDO DA VINCI

Bizarium shows extraordinary inventions by Leonardo da Vinci, the Italian Renaissance artist and scientist. One of the museum's masterpieces is da Vinci's 'Self-propelled Car'. Did you know that this genius spent 37 years looking for a solution to the ultimate energy source? A machine that by itself keeps on moving forever: the Perpetuum Mobile, 3 of which can be admired in the Bizarium. Da Vinci also studied the flight of birds, flying like a bird was also his dream. The impressive ornithopter that Leonardo da Vinci invented for this purpose is also on display in the Bizarium.

"Learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else" Leonardo da Vinci

 

 

NIKOLA TESLA

Long before his name became synonymous with electric cars, Nikola Tesla's inventions transformed modern life. Nikola Tesla was the inventor of the alternating current motor (1898).  The Bizarium honours this famous scientist and inventor with 4 visionary inventions on display.

 

 

AUDIOGUIDE AND MUSEUMTEXTS

The Bizarium 'audio guide' offers visitors an extra experience. The Dutch audio guide is voiced by word artist Maud Vanhauwaert; she tells a fascinating story about almost every invention. The operation of the audio guide is contactless (NFC) and very easy to use. The audio guide is offered in 4 languages (NE-DE-FR-EN). All hall texts are also in 4 languages.

CORONA / COVID 19: The audio guide is thoroughly cleaned with professional equipment before and after use, disinfected and individually packed. In this way, the visitors can enjoy their experience in an entirely hygienic manner.

 

 

BIOMIMICRY

At Biomimicry, inventors get their inspiration from nature. They translate the knowledge of nature into innovative and practical applications. Several of these technically ingenious inventions can be admired in the Bizarium, such as the swimming umbrella, which imitates the movement of a squid. 

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.

Albert Einstein

 

DIGITAL DETOX

Meanwhile, for many it has become unthinkable to be disconnected from the technological gadgets that surround us today. We are addicted to our smartphone, a little swiping, scrolling through the social media, checking the newspaper or the mail again. ... Yet it is healthy to give priority to an "unplugged" moment once in a while.

A visit to the Bizarium unplugged becomes a Mindfulness experience. Enjoy it!

 

 

HUMANOID ROBOT

The 1st robots in human form were developed in the early 20th century. The appearance of this humanoid steel Japanese robot from 1930 greatly influenced the iconic shape of future robots. This unique robot designed by Yasutaro Mitsui can only be seen in the Bizarium.

 

 

EUROPEAN MUSEUM OF THE YEAR

Bizarium has been nominated as European Museum of the Year 2020. An international recognition for the private initiative of Marc & Ann, the inspirers, creators and makers of the Bizarium.

The EMYA awards have been organized for over 40 years and are considered one of the most prestigious museum awards in the world. The winners of the EMYA awards, which have been held since 1977, include leading museums such as the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, the Rijksmuseum in the Netherlands and the Design Museum in London.

 

 

CRAFTSMANSHIP

The collection of the Bizarium museum includes a wide range of bizarre and especially highly creative inventions. The Bizarium brings these ingenious ideas, which for centuries only existed on paper, to life. Almost all museum pieces are life-size reconstructions based on historical engravings, drawings, photographs or patents. They have been reconstructed with respect for authentic craftsmanship, technique and know-how, combined with contemporary production technology.

 

STRUGGLE FOR LIFE

The history of mankind is a consistent struggle with nature and with the world around him. What inspires the Bizarium is how, despite all the problems, mankind has always found ingenious solutions to survive and carry on. The world we live in today is the result of centuries of passionate search to improve our lives on earth by inventors, scientists, creatives, naïve dreamers and fearless idealists...

 

 

THE DREAM TO FLY

Have you ever imagined what it would be like to be able to fly like a bird? The story of Icarus shows that this fantasy is ancient. Flying like a bird is a long-held human dream!

In the late 19th century, studying birds and their movements played a significant role in the development of human flight. They inspired inventors to mimic the aerodynamic principles used by birds in their designs for a flying machine. The Bizarium showcases some extraordinary inventions that greatly influenced the development of human flight/aviation.

 

 

EXPERIMENT & FAILURE

The Bizarium provides insight into man's constant creative quest and gives the message that failure and experimentation (sometimes bizarre ideas) are the basis of progress. Bizarium is a 'wunderkammer' where you begin to believe that as long as you dare to fail, as long as you dare to look beyond your nose and even your own life, nothing is impossible.

"I have not failed. I've just found 10 000 ways that won't work" -  Thomas Edison

 

PERPETUUM MOBILE

Machines whose motion continues forever, moving by themselves without consuming fuel. How different would our world be then? Scientists have been dreaming about the perfect perpetuum mobile for centuries. From the Middle Ages to the 21st century. Did you know that Leonardo da Vinci spent 37 years searching for the ultimate energy source? The Bizarium exhibits some 10 of these extraordinary inventions, including 3 by Leonardo da Vinci.

 

 

AMAZING STORIES

Each invention has its own fascinating story. The text labels and audio stories are informative, educational and sometimes humorous. They highlight the technological links with nature and science, but also with history and the future. The texts encourage the visitor to think or to enter into a dialogue.

degrowth

 

DEGROWTH

The creators, creators and inspirers of the Bizarium Collection, choose to focus on the quality of the collection and its more powerful experience, this to make a lasting and indelible impression and impact on the visitor. They seek to make this experience not broader for the general public, but rather more intense for a limited audience. Therefore, the Bizarium is open for a limited number of days/year to reveal this unique private collection to the public.

It is a personal search for a quality, disconnected from the obsession with growth and consumerism.

 

johannes kepler

 

S.T.E.M.

The Bizarium shows how mankind has used creativity, science and technology throughout the ages to make life easier and better. The Bizarium stimulates curiosity and imagination. Discover how inventors use their knowledge, passion and creativity to create new, innovative advances in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The diversity of this eclectic collection teaches critical thinking and excites us about creativity, science and innovation.

"Science isn't about why...  it's about but why not ?

 

 

ON THE ROAD WITH KIDS

Lifelong learning starts at an early age, and museums are a great place to awaken an interest in history, art and science. Bizarium opens their eyes to different ideas and creative solutions within a scientific, innovative and educational environment. Bizarium is the perfect place to see, discover and explore new 'things'.

The Bizarium offers quality time for young and old. The Bizarium is suitable for children from 6 years of age.

 

tripadvisor travelers choice

The Travellers' Choice Awards, are the most important awards presented by TripAdvisor. These awards are based on millions of opinions and findings from travelers all over the world and reflect 'the best' in terms of service, quality and customer satisfaction. The Bizarium can be proud of this important recognition'. The winners of these awards are highly valued for their exceptional service and quality.

 

Visitors' testimonials (tripadvisor)

If you are a person who does not like to walk on well-trodden paths, then maybe this is for you. In this 19th century building, this couple has put imagination, the urge to always surpass oneself, the human ability, back on the map with a contemporary vision! Based on past research and with their technical knowledge and creativity, they have put the Bizarium on the map!
Congratulations!!!!

 arianelaire / Zottegem, België

What an incredibly fun, friendly, interesting and bizarre museum this is. Unforgettably impressive! We all (father and mother, boy of almost 8 and two girls of almost 11 and almost 14) walked around with our mouths open in amazement and admiration. The museum contains a colourful collection of bizarre and/or ingenious inventions that mankind has produced in the course of history. These have all been collected or recreated in detail (per-fect!) by the creator of the museum. Hats off to this man. And thank you, because we have enjoyed ourselves magnificently. Really a must. Groutnis oet Grunnen! Or warm greetings from Groningen.

Ingrid z - april 2017
 

Ingenious! What a lot of work, enthusiasm, creativity and perseverance there is in this museum! All praise for the administrator! Definitely visit this museum; you will walk around with a smile all the time!

marlies17 / Castricum, Nederland
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