Planet of Minerals - Australian Museum

Museum event: Planet of Minerals

Audience Type:: General, Kids, Under 5s, Teachers, Members, Tourists
Event Type:: Current exhibition
Location:: Level 1, Planet of Minerals Exhibition

Gain fascinating insights into the wonderful world of minerals.

Ever wondered how rocks are formed? Want to learn how to identify a mineral? In the Planet of Minerals exhibition you can experience your own mineral safari by seeing beautiful and rare specimens of rocks and minerals from all over the planet!

Containing the oldest mineral collection in Australia, featuring over 53,000 specimens from Australia and overseas, the exhibition offers you the chance to see vibrant specimens up close, learn an abundance of facts and discover what rocks and minerals tell us about Earth's amazing history.

Things to do

See beautiful and rare specimens such as stunning crystal formations and the oldest minerals known on Earth. Look out for the 4200 million-year-old zircon found in Western Australia.
Discover Australia's earliest mining history - and if you've never seen a gold nugget, here's your chance.
Marvel at the brilliance of the geological world by seeing mineral examples from all over the world, including a giant amethyst geode from Brazil and the best collection of Broken Hill minerals in the world.
Stroll through a metal sulphide mine's stope (a chamber where the ore is mined). Examine part of the sulphide ore body which was once on the sea floor before it was folded and forced up to become a part of the continent! (Modelled on the Broken Hill Deposit, Australia.)
Browse through the Museum Shop on your way out and pick up a mineral gift or gift about the natural world including books, toys and games, and the Museum's official souvenir guidebook. Great for kids' presents, local and international tourists, or as a treat for yourself.

The Planet of Minerals exhibition is located on Level 1 of the Museum.

Touch Table Alert!

Look out for the special touch table in this exhibition, regularly run by Museum staff and volunteers. It features special pieces from our collection that both little and big kids are encouraged to touch, feel and examine at close range. Chat with trained staff about the specimens and catch up on the Museum's latest research work. See the 'What's on' screen next to the information desk on the ground floor for daily times and locations.

Ever seen a top private mineral collection?

Now home at the Australian Museum, the Albert Chapman Mineral Collection is a stylishly presented exhibition that features some of the finest examples of minerals ever found. You'll find it right next door to the Planet of Minerals exhibition. Learn more about it.

Discover the wonders of geoscience

Geoscience (also known as earth sciences and geology) covers the broad sweep of Earth's history and all Earth-forming processes. Learn more about geoscience here.

Last Updated: 25 November 2011

Share:

What is this?

6 comments

Obsidian
8.10 PM, 17 October 2011

The exhebition was excellent, if you haven't gone you should. it's fabulous, although it does make my collection somewhat, well, microscopic in comparison.

Permalink

STAFF

Jen Cork
11.04 AM, 20 April 2011

Thanks for your comments @mineralgirl.

Very exciting to see you are so passionate about minerals.
Have a look around the mineral section and there may be some more specimens you could discuss with other keen collectors. A particularly favourite of mine:

http://australianmuseum.net.au/image/Malachite-specimen

Keep up the great work!

Permalink

MINERALGIRL
3.01 PM, 09 January 2011

HI MY NAME IS RACHAEL.I AM A TWELVE YEAR OLD MINERAL COLLECTOR THAT HAS BEEN COLLECTING FOR OVER FOUR YEARS NOW.I HAVE OVER 1,000 MINERALS IN MY COLLECTION AND STILL COUNTING.SOME DAY I HOPE TO BECOME A GEOLOGIST AND ENJOY THE PLEASURES OF DOING WHAT I LOVE.I HAVE BEEN LOOKING AROUND FOR A MICROSCOPE SO I CAN SEE THE TRUE BEAUTY OF THE MINERALS IN MY COLLECTION. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TALK MINERALS LIKE A TRUE ROCKHOUND THEN PLEASE CONTACT ME AT Sempi.Rachael@Gmail.com THANK YOU VERY MUCH RACHAEL

Permalink

MINERALGIRL
1.01 PM, 09 January 2011

MINERALS PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART IN THE HISTORY OF MAN KIND.THEY WERE USED TO MAKE SPEARS TO KILL ANIMALS FOR TRIBES TO SUPPLY FOOD FOR THEMSELVES AND THERE FELLOW MEN.CRYSTALS TO THIS VERY DAY ARE STILL USED FOR MEDITATION AND TO CALM THE SOLE, SPIRIT AND MIND. TO HELP BUILD THE STRUCTURE OF SOME OF THE WELL KNOWN CASTLES THAT HAVE EGSISTED OVER MANY YEARS.AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST THE GOLD RUSHES THAT HAVE STAYED IN BOOKS HISTORY OF OUR ANSETORS.