A.E. Fersman Mineralogical Museum of the Russian Academy of Sciences

About museum

The history of the country's oldest, and one of Europe's oldest, Mineralogical Museum is closely linked to the development of mineralogy in Russia. The foundation of the museum was laid by the establishment in 1716 of the Mineral Cabinet of the Kunstkamera in Saint Petersburg. For this purpose, by order of Peter I, an extensive collection of minerals for that time (1,195 specimens) was purchased in Danzig from the physician Gotwald, and with this collection the Mineral Cabinet of the Kunstkamera began its existence. This collection was supplemented with specimens from Russian deposits and, from 1719, was exhibited to the public in Saint Petersburg in the Kikin Chambers building.
In 1725 the Academy of Sciences was established in Petersburg. The Kunstkamera became one of the Academy's institutions; the Mineral Cabinet was transferred to the Academy and developed within it into a major scientific institution, later the Mineralogical Museum. In 1836 the Mineralogical Museum was separated from the Mineral Cabinet as an independent institution of the Academy of Sciences.

Much of the credit for the development of the Museum within the Academy of Sciences as a new type of scientific museum belongs to mineralogist and geochemist Academician A.E. Fersman. Today the Mineralogical Museum, which bears his name, is one of the largest in the world. The collections contain a total of 135,000 mineral specimens from deposits in Russia and abroad. The museum's main holdings consist of five collections: the systematic collection, the collection of localities (deposits), the crystal collection, the collection of formations and transformations, and the collection of ornamental and precious stones.

In a single exhibition hall of 1,200 sq. m. more than 20 thematic displays are arranged. Over 12,000 exhibits are on display — one twelfth of the museum's holdings. The exhibitions are divided into two groups: scientific (for geological specialists) and popular-science (for a wide range of visitors).