Gallery of Mineralogy and Geology, Natural history museum in Jardin des Plantes, France
The Gallery of Mineralogy and Geology is a natural history museum located in the Jardin des Plantes with neoclassical architecture extending about 187 meters. The exhibition displays around 600 specimens selected from a collection of approximately 770,000 minerals and rocks.
The collection originated in 1625 as a royal pharmacy cabinet and was later transferred to the Royal Garden of Medicinal Plants. The current building was constructed in 1833 and has housed this important mineral collection ever since.
The display areas organize minerals into eight themed sections that teach visitors how to identify and distinguish different specimens. Each section explains the scientific criteria that separate one substance from another.
The museum is situated within the Jardin des Plantes and is accessible by multiple bus routes and nearby metro stations. The exhibition halls are clearly marked and easy to navigate for visitors of all mobility levels.
The museum bought the Ilia Deleff collection of Brazilian giant crystals in 1982 and has displayed it since 1983. Deleff, a Bulgarian-born physician and geologist born in 1921, began gathering these crystals in the late 1950s. They form a set described as unique in the world.
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