“Look under the flag”

The University Museum Utrecht (UMU) will reopen on September 6 after three years of renovation. The museum building has undergone a major renovation in recent years in order to be able to receive more visitors.

The original building of the university museum since 1996 has become very small, because the number of visitors to the museum has risen sharply. Thus the entrance area of ​​the building has now been enlarged. Part of the offices has also been moved to the museum, so that there is now more space for exhibitions, cloakroom, toilets and reception.

“The new UMU is the museum for anyone who is curious,” says Director Vimke den Boer. “In our revitalized family museum, visitors peek under the lid of science and become researchers themselves.”

Five new rooms

In the new museum there are five new exhibition halls where visitors can learn more about scientific research at Utrecht University. Visitors can also work on their own, for example by designing a heart-lung machine, studying the behavior of monkeys and humans and experimenting with an air pump.

“At the University Museum, we believe that anyone can become a researcher. We like to invite our visitors to ask questions about themselves and the world around them. At the Museum, we want visitors to experience that you can research anything if you ask the right questions,” says Vimke den Boer. Just like scientists, use different research skills.”

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Check where you are

During the first weekend that the museum is open again, the “Check Your Place” project will also start. This is called a “citizen science project,” where non-scientists can help with the research. Children and young people are asked to observe their favorite outdoor place and say what makes it their favorite.

Scientists Kathryn van den Bogert and Jesse van Campenhout will investigate the data. “Children use space differently than adults and researchers think. This is why we ask them to investigate their place themselves. By collaborating with UMU, we can collect a lot of data and gain insight into what makes something a great outdoor space.”

The renovated University Museum will open its doors for the first time on Wednesday, September 6, at 1:00 p.m. The Oude Hortus and the museum’s café will also reopen.