About us

The Department of Mineralogy is happy to assist with any general or scientific enquiries within their field of expertise.

All telephone, postal and facsimile enquiries should be directed in the first instance to Charlotte Stockley.

• Telephone +44 (0) 20 7942 5123 (voicemail outside normal office hours)
• Facsimile +44 (0) 20 7942 5537
• Email
• Postal address: Department of Mineralogy, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD
  In addition, the department offers a free basic identification service to members of the general public, for up to six individual specimens in any year. These can be posted to the department, or brought in to the Museum as outlined below.

A member of staff from the Department of Mineralogy will be available for consultation in person during the following times (not including Bank Holidays).

Please telephone in advance to make an appointment.

• Monday 2.00pm until 4.00pm
• Wednesday 2.00pm until 4.00pm
• Friday 10.00am until 12.00pm
  

Personal callers who have made an appointment should report to the Information Desk in the Central Hall.

Outside these times for Mineralogy visitor enquiries (stated above) specimens may be left at the Earth lab in Gallery 66 during opening hours (12.00pm to 17.00pm daily), and a receipt will be given to the enquirer. The Department will then return the specimen by post if feasible, or arrange for collection at a later date.

Conditions of the Mineralogy enquiry service

1. Please note that valuations of specimens cannot be provided under any circumstance.
2. While the Department of Mineralogy will endeavour to answer all enquiries, members of staff reserve the right, without giving any reason, not to express an opinion. In addition, enquiries may be redirected to a more appropriate source of information.
3. The Museum will take all reasonable care of specimens entrusted to it. However, specimens are only accepted at the owner's risk.
4. Any specimens waiting for collection (in agreement with the enquirer) that remain on the Museum premises after 3 months may be disposed of.
5. No liability will be accepted for any circumstances or loss as a result of incorrect information supplied by the Department of Mineralogy.
6. Any commercial enquiries will be charged at the appropriate rate for which a quotation can be provided. Commercial companies requiring more detailed identification/analysis of specimens should refer to NHM Consulting in the first instance.

On arrival at the Museum

Enter the Museum through the main entrance on Cromwell Road (not the Earth Galleries entrance on Exhibition Road). Go to the Information Desk which is situated on the left hand side. At the desk please ask for the Mineralogy Department giving the name of the person you are visiting. You will be required to sign the visitors book, and will be given a 'temporary visitor sticker' which you must wear at all times. Please wait at the reception desk, from where you will be collected.

Organisation of the Department