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Minerals

Programs and Exhibitions

amethystSee more of this amazing hall in the Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems online exhibit.

Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems

Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems showcases about 1,800 minerals and gems from all over the world and has gained an international reputation as one of the finest and most important mineral exhibitions in the world. New acquisitions are added to the collection on an ongoing basis. This breathtaking exhibition hall is the culmination of the science, beauty, and history of minerals. 

  • The Systematic Collection in the hall displays over 400 beautiful specimens divided into their chemical classification according to Dana’s System of Mineralogy.
  • Displays on Quartz, Weathering Processes, Pseudomorphism, Radioactivity as well as Mineral Locality Suites, add to the educational and visual experience.
  • Pennsylvania’s rich mineralogical diversity and heritage are the subjects of another group of exhibitions. This section presents information on coal and other rocks and minerals that have been important to the state's economic development. Some of the finest minerals found in Pennsylvania are exhibited.
  • The story of the Pittsburgh steel industry is told in the exhibit The Minerals That Made Pittsburgh. The nearly 100 stunning specimens on display in Masterpiece Gallery illustrate an underlying theme of the hall: "Minerals as Art."
  • Interactive displays include: Calcite, Fluorescence and Phosphorescence, Radioactivity, Twinning in Minerals, Properties of Minerals, and Lithology.
  • Our Recent Acquisitions case is dedicated as a "changing exhibit" to feature new specimens added to the collection.
  • Only eight meteorites have been found in Pennsylvania—five iron meteorites and three stony meteorites. In 1988 portions of all eight were temporarily displayed together for the first time in Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems. For further information on Pennsylvania's meteorites, click here.

Wertz Gallery: Gems & Jewelry

amberWertz Gallery: Gems & Jewelry is a 2,000-square-foot addition to Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems dedicated to gems, the crystals from which they come, and jewelry comprised of these precious stones. Wertz Gallery is named in honor of Ronald W. Wertz, longtime president of the Hillman Foundation. Approximately 500 gems, crystals, jewelry and other pieces of gem art are on display in the permanent collection of Wertz Gallery including the stunning Birthstones exhibit. In addition, Wertz Gallery hosts special temporary and traveling exhibitions from collectors around the world.

Mineral Movies

Selected specimens from the collection are viewable in 360-degree format.

Exhibitions & Show Displays

Specimens from the Section of Minerals are periodically loaned to other institutions for traveling exhibits. Current loans are displayed in:

The Section of Minerals annually exhibits specimens from the collection at gem & mineral shows around the country. Click to see images of our recent show displays:
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