Musée de Minéralogie

About the museum

The museum is the heir to the Cabinet de Minéralogie, created in 1794 for the École des Mines when the school was reorganised during the Revolution. René Just Haüy was its first curator. The cabinet received private collections, some of them confiscated, and then grew through purchases and donations. In 1815 the school moved into the Hôtel de Vendôme, where the collections began to take shape from 1816.

In the 19th century, leading geologists, collectors and former students donated many specimens, such as the cuprites of Chessy, the topazes of Siberia, or the collection of the Marquis de Drée, comprising 15,000 pieces. The custom-made display cases in Hungarian oak date from 1842, as do much of the painted décor and the busts. A burglary took place in 1909, and the school was occupied by the German army from 1940 to 1944. From 1957 Claude Guillemin reorganised the collection using a more modern classification, and the association ABC Mines has supported its growth since 1988.

Today the museum belongs to the State and serves both as an exhibition venue and a research site. It holds about 100,000 samples, 5,000 of which are displayed in 12 rooms: minerals arranged by families, terrestrial and extraterrestrial rocks, gems and synthetic crystals. There is also a cabinet of curiosities and type specimens.

Highlights

• About 5,000 samples on display out of 100,000 held
• Mineral collection, among the oldest in the world, founded in 1794
• Meteorites, gems and synthetic crystals
• Hungarian oak display cases from 1842 in the Hôtel de Vendôme
• Cabinet of curiosities and type specimens

Permanent exhibition

• Collections permanentes du musée de Minéralogie – Twelve rooms present about 5,000 samples: minerals arranged by families, terrestrial rocks and meteorites, gems and synthetic crystals, plus a cabinet of curiosities.

Founded

1794

Operated by

Mines Paris – PSL (École des Mines de Paris)

Admission & discounts

Also free, with proof, for holders of the ICOM card, members of ABC Mines, staff of the Muséum and Sorbonne Université, journalists preparing an article and teachers preparing a school visit. Holders of a full-price ticket receive a reduced rate within 3 months at the Muséum (Trésors de la Terre) and at the Collection de Minéraux of Sorbonne Université.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The museum is accessible by lift: visitors must ring the intercom at the School’s reception to request access for people with reduced mobility. Most aisles are passable, though some are narrow for wheelchairs. Wheelchair lent free of charge on request, induction loop at reception, magnifiers on request. Guide dogs and assistance dogs admitted. Public accessible parking spaces at 1 impasse Royer-Collard and 3 rue Le Goff.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

The museum regularly organises children’s workshops and family guided tours; dates are announced in the museum’s news.

Getting there & parking

On arrival at the School, reception staff direct visitors to the museum entrance.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop
• Coat check: not available
• Lockers: not available

Shop with books, minerals and merchandise. No cloakroom: coat hooks and umbrella stands are available, under visitors’ own supervision. No air conditioning. CROUS School cafeteria near the museum entrance.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit