The discoverer of the invisible
At ARTIS-Micropia, you can see a replica of one of the very first microscopes ever made. Small, simple, and almost unremarkable, yet with this instrument Antoni van Leeuwenhoek discovered something that would change the world forever: an entirely new, invisible world full of life
Antoni van Leeuwenhoek
Antoni van Leeuwenhoek was born in 1632 in Delft and spent most of his life working as a textile merchant. Curious and precise, he used magnifying glasses to examine the quality of fabrics. This fascination with detail eventually grew into something much greater, leading him to make his own lenses.
A microscope like no other
Although microscopes already existed, Antoni’s were unique. He used only a single lens, but was able to polish it so precisely that his microscopes could magnify up to 275 times, far surpassing the instruments of his time.
The discovery of microbes
With his self-made microscope, Antoni did not only study fabrics, but also turned his attention to water droplets, plants, and even his own body. In a drop of water, he observed something never seen before: moving, microscopic living organisms, such as bacteria and single-celled organisms (protozoa). He called them “little animals.”
His discovery was initially met with disbelief, but after verification by scientists, he was admitted in 1680 to the Royal Society and became known as the founder of microbiology.
A secret that lasted centuries
Antoni never revealed how he made his lenses. It was only more than two hundred years later that researchers discovered he created them by melting glass into tiny spheres, producing extremely powerful lenses. His technique was far ahead of its time.
The foundation of microbiology
Thanks to his work, it became clear that an entire world exists beyond what the naked eye can see. His discoveries laid the foundation for microbiology and forever changed our understanding of life.
Curious to explore this hidden world yourself? At ARTIS-Micropia, you can see Antoni van Leeuwenhoek’s microscope up close and witness what he was the first person ever to observe.
