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Allosaurus and Stegosaurus iconic dinosaurs

Alongside Plantage Middenlaan stand two dinosaur sculptures created by zookeeper Boudewijn Bollee. They are an iconic sight, and have been an integral part of ARTIS and the Plantage neighbourhood for more than sixty years.

Boudewijn Bollee, an ARTIStic zookeeper.

Reptile keeper and sculptor 

Boudewijn Bollee worked at ARTIS for fifty years, forty of them in the Reptile House. He started at the age of twelve as a handyman and went on to work his way up to zookeeper. He was also responsible for furnishing the terrariums, and used rocks and tropical plants to recreate the habitat of the monitor lizards, snakes and crocodiles as faithfully as possible. His creations were very progressive for their time.

Artwork in detail

made in
1954, 1953
created by
Boudewijn Bollee
made of
polyester, clay mesh, chicken wire, rebar, cement

Artistic legacy

In addition to his work as a zookeeper, Bollee was a passionate sculptor. He used his spare time to create detailed sculptures of both modern reptile species and dinosaurs. His sculptures, including the iconic Allosaurus and Stegosaurus, have since become an essential and much-loved part of ARTIS Zoo.

Extinct vision of dinosaurs

Our knowledge about dinosaurs has grown considerably in recent decades, as a result of which Bollee's sculptures are now no longer accurate. For example, the Allosaurus did not stand upright, and the Stegosaurus did not drag its tail on the ground. Still, these sculptures remain a fascinating representation of the views held about these prehistoric animals in Bollee’s time.

Allosaurus