Musée de minéralogie

The Musée de minéralogie in Strasbourg is part of the University of Strasbourg and has housed historic mineral collections since it was founded in 1890. In the building of the Faculty of Paleontology and Mineralogy, which also houses the Laboratory of Hydrology and Geochemistry, you can marvel at more than 30,000 mineral specimens from France, Germany, Russia, Romania, and the United States. Particularly noteworthy are a cast of the largest gold nugget ever found and a display case of fluorescent stones that glow under ultraviolet light. Another highlight is the important meteorite collection of 450 specimens, which is organized according to the Wasson classification and is considered the second largest in France. It also includes a fragment of one of the oldest meteorites to have fallen in Europe. In addition, the museum presents a valuable collection of scientific instruments from the 19th and 20th centuries, including X-ray devices, electron diffraction apparatus, and antique crystallography instruments such as goniometers. Educational models made of glass, wood, and wire round out the offering and give you a glimpse into the historical teaching of mineralogy.