group visits gem and mineral hall tour

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Gems & Minerals

Exhibitions

Mexican crazy lace agate

Gem and Mineral Hall

More than 2,000 minerals, rocks, meteorites, and gems from across the globe.

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Stories

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Cave of swords

Gypsum Crystals: Mineral Ships for Alien Life?

Can gypsum crystals hold alien life from Mars? Explore every facet of these incredible crystals with our Mineral Sciences Curator Aaron Celestian.

The Pink Starburst. Pink diamond.

Fascinating Facets: The Pink Starburst Diamond

The dazzling science behind this precious gem

celeste diamond square

The Science of Rare Jewels

Explore every facet of gems and jewelry at Brilliance: The Art and Science of Rare Jewels

Blue Splendor of Ceylon

The Splendor of Sapphires

Earth’s history through the lens of a precious gem

Gems of the Americas

Gems of the Americas

Take a trip through deep time — via the 1980s — and explore gems with a vintage NHM documentary

La vitrina de la fiebre del oro en Gem Hall

Discovering Gold: Exploring the California Gold Rush

Uncover the history of California's Gold Rush through NHM's Gem and Mineral Hall

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mesolite, radiating crystals

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.

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Throughout the halls of the Natural History Museum there are hidden marvels that are actually right before your eyes.

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