Museums of stones and minerals in Moscow. Geological and mineralogical museums in Moscow. Where to go in Moscow for stone lovers? Cultural and educational recreation for adults and children in Moscow.
Stones and minerals have attracted the attention of mankind from ancient times to the present day.
People are interested in the healing and magical properties of stones and minerals, select jewelry made from natural stones to match their zodiac sign, watch films and videos about lithotherapy and stone therapy...
And, of course, lovers and admirers of stones and minerals, Muscovites and guests of the capital who are interested in geology and mineralogy should be happy to visit stone museums in Moscow.
In addition to learning about this interesting area, you can spend useful and cultural leisure time in Moscow museums, including with children. It is very important for children to instill and develop a passion for science and the history of our planet.
So, where can you go in Moscow to learn better about the properties of stones and minerals?
1. Mineralogical Museum named after A. E. Fersman
Since March 2002, the “Moscow Club of Friends of Mineralogy” has been regularly operating in the museum and meetings of scientists and stone lovers are held on Fridays.
The Gems Museum is one of the most vibrant and interesting mineralogical museums in Russia. In the museum you will find a collection of samples of almost all varieties of domestic semi-precious stone raw materials, ore and non-metallic minerals, facing stones, artistic products (including from precious and semi-precious stones), paleontological finds.
The initial concept of the museum was to collect, study and display gemstone material from deposits of the USSR, and later the Russian Federation. The uniqueness of the museum collection also lies in the fact that most of the exhibits have a high degree of decorativeness and aesthetics.
The idea of creating the “GEMS” museum belonged to the famous geologist Academician A.V. Sidorenko, who was the Minister of Geology of the USSR from 1965 to 1975. The implementation of this project was entrusted to the Soyuzkvartssamotsvety association.
In 1973, with the aim of creating a collection fund of minerals, widespread use of domestic gemstone resources, organizing the export of colored stones and products made from them, as well as expanding the raw material base for the stone processing industry, the “Colored Stones” salon was created, the head of which was appointed the talented geologist A. AND. Kuvarzin.
The salon began the formation of a representative collection of samples of decorative collectible minerals and semiprecious stone raw materials from deposits of the USSR. Many geological associations and expeditions took an active part in completing the museum exhibition, which donated to the “Colored Stones” salon the best and unique samples of minerals from numerous deposits of Yakutia, the Urals, Eastern Siberia, Central Asia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, the Kola Peninsula and other regions of our countries. Collectors-geologists, among whom were famous scientists - Academician V.I., donated their samples to the museum. Smirnov and V.A. Yarmolyuk, USSR Minister of Geology E.A. Kozlovsky, First Deputy Minister B.P. Zubarev, Ministers of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation V.P. Orlov and Yatskevich B.A.
A significant contribution to the replenishment of the museum exhibition was made by the talented stone-cutter V. Konovalenko, who donated the author’s priceless collection of small sculptures made of colored stones. V. Konovalenko’s sculptures, which have their own unique style and character, are unique works of art that inherited the best traditions of Russian stone-cutters of the famous pre-revolutionary company “K. Faberge."
In many geological exploration expeditions of the All-Union Production Association “Soyuzkvartsamotsvety”, stone-cutting workshops were created, the best products of which were also transferred to the museum. One of these workshops was in Moscow, where, under the guidance of artists M. Borshchevsky and F. Kuznetsov, products were made from various colored stones: jade, lapis lazuli, charoite, rhodonite and others, some of which are also on display in the museum.
In 1978 The Moscow specialized geological exploration expedition “Exports-Gems” is being created on the basis of the “Colored Stones” salon. From this moment on, geological expeditions begin to carry out systematic prospecting work for collection and semiprecious stone raw materials almost throughout the entire territory of the Soviet Union. For the period 1978-1984. prospecting and assessment work was carried out in Chukotka, Primorye, Yakutia, Tuva, the Caucasus and in the former republics of the Union - Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan.
In addition, by decision of the interdepartmental commission, the expedition was entrusted with the task of collecting collection material from the deposits of the Ministry of Non-ferrous Metallurgy. The most representative collection of ore and non-ore minerals was collected at polymetallic and borosilicate deposits of the Dalnegorsk ore field (Primorsky Territory) - magnificent samples of galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, calcite, etc.
As a result of these works, employees of the “Exports-Gems” expedition, headed by A.I. Kuvarzin, chief engineer A.A. Yusipov and talented geologists: V.I. Chuprov, I.I. Fradkin, E.E. Dramsheva, V.S. Chernavtsev, L.E. Shurpe, Yu.L. Tatarinov, B.A. Tochilin, E.Ya. Shorstkin, V.I. Savinkov, A.A. Zharinov, professor at the Art School named after. Stroganov A. Panin and others created a significant part of the modern museum exhibition (about 70%).
In 1984, the Moscow specialized geological exploration expedition "Exportsamotsvety" was reorganized into the foreign trade company "Exportsamotsvety", and the functions related to geological work were transferred to the central geological exploration expedition "Tsentrquartzsamotsvety". One of the most important aspects of this reorganization was the targeted development of the export of gemstone products produced by the enterprises of the NPO Soyuzkvartsamotsvety, as a result of which trade relations were established with dozens of companies in Western Europe, the USA, Japan, Southeast Asia and other countries. The annual volume of export supplies often reached one million US dollars.
A significant role in the development of external relations belongs to the Deputy General Director of the NPO Soyuzkvartssamotsvety Kobrin N.V. and the director of the company Yusipov A.A. Using the foreign currency received, stone-cutting equipment was purchased, which was sent on expeditions to create a new direction of industrial production.
After the collapse of the USSR, in order to preserve museum funds, the VTF left the Soyuzkvartssamotsvety and became directly subordinate to the created Committee on Geology and Use of Subsoil of the Russian Federation. By a special order of the State Property Committee of the Russian Federation and an order of the Committee on Geology and Use of Subsoil of the Russian Federation, a structural unit - a museum - was allocated as part of the Exports Gems WTF. Experienced geologist V.S. Chernavtsev was appointed head of the museum. Subsequently, in 1994, the WTF “Exports Gems” was transformed into the state cultural organization “Museum of Gems”. By Order of the Ministry of Natural Resources No. 6 dated January 17, 2000. The Museum "Gems" was renamed into the Federal State Institution "Museum GEMS", and in 2012 into the federal budgetary institution "Museum GEMS". Since October 1999, the Gems Museum has been open to the public.
The museum is very popular among Muscovites and guests of the capital, especially among schoolchildren and students. During the years of perestroika, the museum staff not only preserved, but also significantly increased the collection with decorative specimens and unique minerals from deposits of the Kola Peninsula, the Urals, Transbaikalia, Yakutia and the Primorsky Territory.
New thematic exhibitions were created:
- Exposition of quartz raw materials, showing samples of quartz from deposits in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Brazil, China, Somalia, Madagascar, etc., which is unique in our country;
- Exhibition of decorative facing stones from deposits in Russia and countries near and far abroad;
- Paleontological exhibition;
- Exposition of luminescent minerals;
- Exhibition of minerals discovered in Russia
- An exhibition presenting the main types of ore and non-metallic minerals in the form of spectacular collection specimens.
The unique author's collection of small polylithic sculptures made of colored stones has been significantly expanded with new exhibits made by talented Russian stone carving artists A. Klyuev, I. Borovikov, I. Sergeev, Zhukov and others.
To replenish the museum funds, museum employees went to field work in the Kola Peninsula, the Subpolar and Polar Urals, the Khatanga-Anabar region, the central part of Russia, the Moscow region and other regions of the country.
Currently, the museum fund includes more than fourteen thousand museum objects from more than five hundred deposits and manifestations of Russia and the former republics of the USSR. A significant part of the museum exhibition was demonstrated at international exhibitions in Russia (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod) and abroad (Germany, Japan, China, Brazil, South Africa).
Along with the exhibition work, the museum conducts educational and educational work in the form of fascinating thematic excursions adapted for all groups of the population, lectures are held for schoolchildren and students of geological and mining higher educational institutions.
3.State Geological Museum named after V.I. Vernadsky
The idea of creating a museum belongs to the great Russian scientist M.V. Lomonosov.
While studying the basics of mining in Germany, he came to the conclusion that “you need to learn not only from books, but also from natural objects.”
This idea was incorporated into the Charter of the Imperial Moscow University.
Moscow University was founded on January 12, 1755, and already in February, the family of Ural factory workers, the Demidovs, donated to the university the “mineral cabinet of Henkel,” from which Lomonosov studied, replenished with samples of Ural and Siberian ores (more than six thousand items, worth over twenty thousand rubles).
In 1759, the collections were placed “for viewing” in the library of the Apothecary House of the Faculty of Medicine.
In 1770, the Department of Natural History and Agriculture was created.
Professor M.I. Afonin compiled a complete list of available samples.
In 1778, P. G. Demidov donated his collection and “saved capital” (100,000 rubles) for the maintenance of the office. The department was named "Demidov".
In 1791 the office was transformed into the "Museum of Natural History". The museum was moved to the main building on Mokhovaya and occupied 220 m2 in the Assembly Hall, and in 1805 it was transferred to the left half of the mezzanine with an area of 1000 m2.
Fischer von Waldheim was appointed director of the museum.
In 1812, the museum burned along with the university; the most valuable samples were brought to Nizhny Novgorod, but a significant part of the collection was lost. After the expulsion of the French, the museum began to quickly recover, partly through donations and partly through purchases.
1813 another donation from the “Demidov dynasty”. Nikolai Nikitich Demidov donates a new “collection of natural works” to the museum, laying the foundation for the revival of the museum.
1814 The Museum of Natural History was restored in the building on Bolshaya Nikitskaya.
In 1880, A.P. Pavlov was appointed to the position of keeper of the geological cabinet,
in 1881 V.O. Kovalevsky became its head, and in 1892 V.I. Vernadsky receives the position of keeper of the mineralogical cabinet.
The paleontological museum was headed by M. V. Pavlova.
With their arrival, the museum becomes not only an educational and educational center, but also a scientific center. Students A.E. Fersman, A.Ya. Samoilov, K.A. Nenadkevich and others begin to work at the museum.
In 1910, on the initiative of V.I. Vernadsky and A.P. Pavlov, in connection with the anniversary of M. Lomonosov, the Government was asked to build a new building for the museum.
Money was allocated from the treasury, and in 1914, according to the design of R.I. Klein, construction began on a new building on Mokhovaya.
The museum moved into a new building in 1918, but was able to open to the public only in 1924.
In 1930, on the basis of the University Museum, the Moscow Mining Academy, the Higher Women's Courses and the People's University, a new higher educational institution was created - the Moscow Geological Prospecting Institute (MGRI).
The main task is to train personnel of “subsoil prospectors” who successfully work throughout the country and abroad.
A new stage began in 1988 with the Government Decree on the re-establishment of a unified State Geological Museum. Then the museum was named after V.I. Vernadsky, as a symbol of a holistic approach to the study of natural phenomena. In 1993, the first exhibition “Chronicle in Stone” opened. In 1996, the main exhibitions on two floors opened to visitors, and a video lecture hall and a hall for temporary thematic exhibitions began operating. this link!
All the best! May the Power of the Stone be with you!