Microbes are the lifeforms closest to our hearts — literally. We are covered in the single and multi-cell organisms every day without even understanding just what they do or what they look like. That’s why an Amsterdam museum has created a new zoo — Micropia — to open human eyes to nature’s smallest creatures.

The zoo’s exhibits include large-screen microscopes revealing tiny creatures, Petri dishes of bacteria growing in various patterns, and human scanners to see just what’s living on our skin. The Micropia’s environment is dark and catered to the microbes, which are cared for by technicians in an onsite lab to further study and understand the organisms. 

To make the whole endeavor seem less gross and creepy, the zoo is giving bacteria a public image makeover by employing the use of a furry, human-shaped mascot — and the endorsement of Queen Máxima of the Netherlands.