Mining Museum

Categories / Science. Education/Museums
MINING MUSEUM of the St. Petersburg State Mining Institute, at 2 Twenty-First Line of Vasilievsky Island, is one of the oldest and biggest geological museums in the world. The museum was established in 1773 as the Mineralogical Cabinet of the Mining College (see the Mining Institute). All the most interesting examples of rocks and minerals found on the territory of Russia were shown at the Mineralogical Cabinet. The Mining Museum is located in the main building of the institute and uses its gala halls (1821-30, architect A I. Postnikov). The museum's collection numbered about 220,000 objects in 2002. Minerals are on display in the Department of Mineralogy. The Department of General Geology's display is devoted to palaeontology, palaeobotany, historical and dynamic geology, and petrography. The Department of History of Mining and Mining Factory Technology includes the displays on the technology of prospecting and drilling, mining, concentration of minerals, metallurgy and metals technology. The Department of History of the Mining Institute has a wide collection of archival documents and photographs. Among the exhibits are collections of meteorites and natural crystals, a 1.5 ton block of malachite presented by Empress Catherine II, and a unique 10.5 kilogram crystal of polychromatic topaz. The Mining Museum organises classes for the students of the institute and also excursions and exhibitions.

References: История создания и развития Санкт-Петербургского государственного горного института: Первое высш. техн. заведение России. СПб., 1998. Т. 1. С. 177-188.

N. L. Korsakova. Catherine II, Empress
Postnikov Alexey Ivanovich
21st Line of Vasilievsky Island/Saint Petersburg, city, house 2
Горный музей Ленингр. гос.Горного ин-та им. Г. В. Плеханова. Проспект, Л., 1982
История создания и развития Санкт-Петербургского государственного горного института: Первое высш. техн. заведение России. СПб., 1998 Plekhanov State Mining Institute, St. Petersburg
1773