Mineral and gem collection

The mineral and gem collection of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle contains around 138,000 samples. It was established since 1626 on the basis of the royal collections of the Muséum, and then around the chair of mineralogy of the Muséum’s (1793-1998) and, since early 2000, around the Direction des collections of the Muséum.

Presentation

When it was created, this minerals and gems collection incorporated those specimens that had been assembled since 1626 under the reign of French king Louis XIII in the collections of the Royal Garden of Medicinal Plants. Some specimens of the King’s Cabinet. Its historical interest grew further in the 18th century, when modern disciplines of mineralogy and crystallography emerged.

The MNHN collection has continued to grow since its creation, with the aim of sampling the planet’s mineral diversity and showing its possible uses for humanity. This growth is the result of the systematic collecting of mineral species and recording of their geographical origins by the Muséum’s scientists, and through numerous donations: amongst other things, they include a collection of historical minerals, giant crystals, facetted gems including those of the French Crown Jewels, the minerals collection of Roger Caillois, objects, samples, instruments, manuscripts and historical models of minerals and crystals that belonged to the great scientists of the 18th and 19th centuries, like Romé de l’Isle, Haüy, Des Cloizeaux or Lacroix.

The original documents and manuscripts associated with these historic collections are preserved at the Muséum’s Bibliothèque Centrale. They are accessible on request.

The collection contains some 340 types of mineral species (reference samples of each newly described mineral species). The minerals are classified following the international criteria currently in force.

Research

The specimens of the mineralogy collection are regularly re-examined as part of research programs (systematic mineralogy, crystallography, gitology, environmental and heritage mineralogy, history of science and collections). Every year, we receive hundreds of requests to take part in these research activities and to exhibit specimens at events for the general public (exhibitions, movie shootings, publications).

A database is currently being created and should be accessible on the Muséum’s website soon. Many publications in relation to the mineralogy collection are accessible at the Muséum’s Bibliothèque Centrale or the Bibliothèque Nationale de France.

Rhodochrosite

© MNHN / Photo Saint-Hilaire - A. Dahmane

Malachite et azurite

© MNHN / Photo Saint-Hilaire - A. Dahmane

Albite

© MNHN / Photo Saint-Hilaire - A. Dahmane

Opale

© MNHN - L.-D. Bayle

Dioptase

© MNHN - L.-D. Bayle

Forstérite

© MNHN - L.-D. Bayle

Béryl

© MNHN - L.-D. Bayle

Spodumène

© MNHN - L.-D. Bayle

Orpiment

© MNHN - L.-D. Bayle

Pyromorphite

© MNHN - L.-D. Bayle

Contact

The conservation officers for the mineralogical collection are:

Mineralogy

Cristiano Ferraris
ferraris [@] mnhn.fr

French minerals

Pierre-Jacques Chiappero
chiappero [@] mnhn.fr

Cut stones

François Farges
farges [@] mnhn.fr

Marquetry and carved objects

Giancarlo Parodi
parodi [@] mnhn.fr

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