Naturalis
About the Naturalis Biodiversity Center
The Naturalis Biodiversity Center, located in Leiden, Netherlands, is one of the leading natural history museums in Europe, renowned for its extensive collection of biodiversity specimens. Recently, Naturalis embarked on an extraordinary journey to bring six of the largest dinosaur skeletons ever discovered to life. Unearthed in Wyoming, USA, these rare and precious specimens were to be showcased in a special exhibition tour across ten locations in the Netherlands before finding a permanent home in the museum.
The Challenge
Transporting and preserving the massive and delicate dinosaur skeletons posed a significant challenge for Naturalis. Each of the five dinosaurs required careful handling and monitoring to ensure that the skeletons remained intact throughout the tour. The museum needed to track temperature, humidity and location remotely, both during transportation and at each exhibition site. This monitoring was crucial to prevent any damage and to maintain the integrity of these invaluable fossils.
To achieve this, the museum decided to create two large wooden crates per dinosaur, requiring a total of ten crates. With each crate containing a part of these gigantic skeletons, precise and reliable tracking was non-negotiable.
The museum’s team, working closely with T-service, our trusted local distributor, sought a solution that would offer real-time monitoring over the duration of the tour, which spanned from June 18th to October 18th 2024. Given the need for long-lasting battery life to cover this extended period, the solution had to be robust and efficient.
INDUSTRY
Museum
CHallenge
Transport & conditions tracking
SENSITIVE GOODS
Dinosaur skeletons
PARTNERSHip
since 2024
Gm2
The Solution
Naturalis Biodiversity Center turned to tempmate.®-GM2 devices to meet their unique needs. These advanced data loggers were chosen for their ability to monitor temperature, humidity and location in real time, ensuring comprehensive protection for the dinosaur skeletons.
During a test run in April 2024, the museum successfully evaluated the tempmate.®-GM2’s performance, confirming its suitability for the critical task ahead. Each dinosaur was equipped with one tempmate.®-GM2 device, providing continuous monitoring throughout the tour, during transport as well as for each exhibition.

The tempmate.®-GM2 devices were connected to the Cloud platform, allowing the museum’s team to remotely access real-time data at any moment. This solution enabled Naturalis to precisely track the environmental conditions within each crate, as well as the location and handling of these rare fossils during transportation and at the exhibition sites.
The Outcome
- Traceability & Transparency
The deployment of tempmate.®-GM2 devices resulted in the full protection of the precious and irreplaceable dinosaur skeletons throughout their journey. The real-time monitoring capabilities allowed the museum to detect and respond to any potential threats immediately. In one instance, paired with another device, the tempmate.®-GM2 identified an incident during transportation. Thanks to the precise data provided by the devices, Naturalis was able to determine exactly when and where the incident occurred, enabling them to address the issue promptly and hold the responsible parties accountable.
This level of detail and control ensured that the dinosaur skeletons remained in pristine condition, preserving their historical and scientific value for future generations. The successful tour has solidified Naturalis Biodiversity Center’s reputation as a leader in the preservation and exhibition of natural history, demonstrating the critical role of advanced monitoring technology in the protection of our planet’s most extraordinary treasures.
100%
protected
transport
50
devices deployed
2-8°C ¦ 15-25°C
controlled ambients
100%
sustainable
process
"The overall experience with tempmate has been very positive. Any concerns we've had were addressed promptly, and the product itself offers great value. When you consider that it can be reused multiple times, it quickly outperforms the cost of disposable loggers, providing significant advantages at a more competitive price compared to similar options on the market."
Nicolai Kern - Junior Manager Technical Operations at Bendalis