Exhibition "Animalia"
From 17 February to 5 November 2023 at Train World
The Animalia exhibition at Train World, the SNCB museum, takes visitors on a poetic and scientific journey dedicated to preserving our environment. The aim of this unique exhibition is to raise public awareness of the environmental issues surrounding biodiversity and climate, as well as the vital role of the train as a sustainable mode of transport par excellence.
In response to the widespread awareness of the climate emergency, the threat to biodiversity and the environmental and social crises, we need to take action. With this exhibition, Train World wants to do its bit.
Belgian sculptor Pierre-Yves Renkin has been invited to exhibit a series of animal sculptures in the museum. Alongside these twenty or so life-size works, the exhibition also features masterpieces from the artist's personal collection, rather like a cabinet of curiosities made up of rare objects, documents and unique archives that provide a key to his world and his work as an animal sculptor.
Alongside this poetic journey, the themes of preserving biodiversity, climate change and the advantages of the train as a sustainable mode of transport are developed in the different areas of the museum, thanks to the contributions of scientists from UCLouvain.
A section of the exhibition is also devoted to the efforts made by SNCB, Infrabel, Thalys and Lineas, the rail freight operator, to reduce the impact of their activities on the environment and the climate.
An exhibition to help you understand and take action.
The train, a major player in a more sustainable society
Our mobility is putting a lot of pressure on the environment and the climate because of the consumption of fossil fuels and the enormous growth in the number of journeys we make. But there is such a thing as sustainable mobility: the train!
Preserving biodiversity and combating climate change are major challenges for the world today. In this context, the rail sector as a whole, thanks to its low CO2 emissions, is contributing to a more sustainable society.
What's more, compared with the number of passengers or goods transported, a railway line also requires less ground space than a road. These and other advantages make rail the ideal environmentally-friendly mode of transport for more sustainable mobility.
How is SNCB working towards sustainability?
A company's social responsibility takes into account the impact of its decisions and activities on its environment in the broadest sense. SNCB believes that, as a company, it has a social responsibility towards its customers, its staff and society as a whole.
SNCB's vision of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is inspired by the international and national agenda: the 17 Sustainable Development Goals defined by the United Nations, the European Union's Green Deal and the federal government's declaration. The CSR dimension is also integrated into the Public Service Contract recently concluded between SNCB and the federal government.
Trains are sustainable by the very nature of their activity. Beyond this DNA, SNCB also wants to be sustainable in the actions it undertakes. This is why it has put in place a CSR plan for 2030 based on the following pillars: autonomous accessibility, energy and CO2, sustainable purchasing and concessions, waste, water and soil management, diversity and inclusion. The SNCB has also just produced an online brochure setting out the various measures in its CSR action plan.
Activities on offer as part of the Animalia exhibition
As an extension of the exhibition, Train World is organising a number of activities for all types of audience. The exact dates of certain activities will be published later on our website.
- An inclusive family trail, free and accessible to all, allowing visitors to discover the Animalia exhibition through the five senses;
- Tailor-made guided tours for individuals and groups;
- Literary walks adapted to the theme of the exhibition;
- A wide range of activities for schools, with specially adapted guided tours, literary walks (from primary 3 upwards) and a musical workshop based on the theme of the "Carnival of the Animals";
- A programme of courses for children aged 8 and over;
- Workshops linked to the exhibition themes;
- Nature walks from May to September with Natagora and Natuurpunt.