Step back in time to see the Museum as it was in 1881 with its original oak display cabinets in the Minerals gallery.
See sparkling gems alongside raw minerals, marvel at the variety of colours, textures and shapes, and learn how they're formed.
Star specimens and exhibits
- a polished slice of agate which reveals an internal pattern with a likeness of HM Queen Elizabeth II
- examples of mineral use, from circuit boards to matches and toothpaste
- ornamental mineral art
- curiosities from the collection of Sir Hans Sloane
- a 635-kilogramme iron meteorite that fell in Argentina in 1783
- a 9,381 carat flawless blue topaz gemstone - the largest of its kind
- and a wall display of many more meteorite specimens
Explore the galleries with the Museum map
Find out how to get around with the Museum map. There are four zones to discover.
Earthly and Ethereal: Minerals, Rocks and Gems
Explore highlights of the geological collections in an online exhibition.
A collaboration between the Museum and Google Arts & Culture.
Discover: rocks and minerals
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Science news‘It’s almost like a dream’: Sample of asteroid Bennu arrives at the Natural History Museum
Welcome to the next era of natural history collections.
28 November 2023 -
Science newsMost Martian meteorites are curiously young in age
Putting Martian meteorites in a nuclear reactor has confirmed their curiously young age.
27 October 2023 -
Science newsNASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission returns to Earth with pristine asteroid samples
OSIRIS-REx returned to Earth with a record-breaking amount of material from an asteroid dating back to the birth of our solar system.
24 September 2023 -
DinosaursThe Isle of Wight: Welcome to Dinosaur Island
Discover a treasure trove of fossils just off Britain’s south coast.
