Microbe of the month
- ARTIS-Micropia
Each month at ARTIS-Micropia, a special microbe is featured. It’s only on display for that month, so be sure not to miss it!
Which microbe is on display this month?
Experience what it’s like to see the very first microbes ever discovered. This month, the same pond water is available as the sample in which Antoni van Leeuwenhoek first observed microbes. In 1674, he described them as "little animalcules", making him the first person to ever document the existence of microbes.
Using a self-developed, secret technique, Van Leeuwenhoek melted glass into tiny, spherical lenses. These allowed him to magnify up to 275 times, making bacteria visible for the first time.
He collected his samples from the Berkelse Meer near Delft, and now the same type of pond water is available to view under the microscope.
See with your own eyes how a single drop teems with life—a hidden universe that remained unnoticed for centuries. Don’t miss the chance to explore this microscopic world at ARTIS-Micropia!