Bygone Building Blocks
See how people have been utilizing minerals in all sorts of ways, from antiquity to today.
Exhibitions
Scanning Electron Microscope Lab
See how big discoveries can come from the tiniest things in the Gem and Mineral Hall.
Exhibition
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NHM
Gem and Mineral Hall
The Robert Procop Gem and Mineral Hall presents more than 2,000 minerals, rocks, meteorites, and gems from across the globe.
Stories
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Mineral Sciences
The Mineral Sciences collections include minerals, rocks, meteorites, gems, and related synthetic materials. The mineral collection is world-wide in scope and boasts particular strengths in minerals from California, native gold, and gem crystals. The collections are being actively augmented principally through donations.
News & Press
Natural History Museum Presents Unearthed: Raw Beauty, an Exhibition of Some of the Rarest and Most Spectacular Mineral Specimens Ever Discovered
Exhibition features dozens of incredible gem and mineral specimens, many in their uncut state, as rarely seen by the public
NHM Scientists Discover First-Ever Mineral-Based Treatment for Widespread Disease Using the Structure of Crystals
Based on the structure of cubic zirconium silicate, the innovative treatment opens doors to future mineral-based treatments made possible by cutting-edge museum science
Natural History Museum Presents 100 Carats: Icons of the Gem World, an Exhibition of Some of the Highest Quality Rare Gems on Earth, Each Over 100 Carats
Exhibition features 30+ gemstones, including the world-famous Jonker I Diamond,
which has not been on public view in decades
Global Natural History Initiative Builds Groundbreaking Database to Address 21st Century Challenges
Effort Connects More Than a Billion Objects in Scientific Collections Across 73 Museums in 28 Countries
Findings Shared in New Paper Published in Science Magazine on March 23, 2023
NHM Mineralogy Curator Describes "Mineral of the Year'
December 1, 2015—An orange-brown mineral named ophirite, described by a team lead by Dr. Anthony R. Kampf, Curator Emeritus of Mineralogy at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHM), has beendesignated the “Mineral of the Year” by the International Mineral Association.