100 machines invented or enhanced by the Italian Renaissance mastermind will be on display in Bruges for six months, before embarking on a world tour.

Leonardo da Vinci’s bird-like flying machine and portable bridge have been brought to life in a new exhibition opening on Thursday in the Belgian city of Bruges.

One hundred machines invented or enhanced by the Italian Renaissance mastermind have been realised, by using plans he drew himself. They will be on display in Bruges for six months, before embarking on a world tour over 10 years.

Life-size scale

Some of the 500-year-old designs, including the bird-like aeroplane, have been created at full life-size scale. Others are scale models made of wood and other materials of the age. Although others have turned drawings by the painter of the Mona Lisa into three-dimensional reality, organisers say this is the biggest such exhibition of its kind.

“The highlight of this exhibition is principally the quantity of works that is presented, covering a big variety of instruments, machines, war machines, and other objects in the same place,” said technical designer Vincent Damseaux.

Leonardo’s designs were varied and pioneering. Though he was not the first to conceive of each design, he made significant improvements to many.