The museum is located in a historical building that represents Moscow architecture of the beginning of the 19th century.
The museum collection is devided in five sections:
Systematic collection
Curently consists of more than 90000 items representing about 2400 mineral species (from 4000 species actually known in nature). The minerals of this collection demonstrate diversity of mineral species by their structure, morphology, physical properties, associations with other minerals.
Crystal collection
More than 4800 crystals in the collection represent all crystal systems and the most part of space groups. You will see crystals of different forms and combinations, twin laws, perfection and defection of natural and human made crystals.
Mineral occurrence collection
More than 31000 items represent a set of mineral types, mineral associations and genetic features of more than 300 russian mineral occurences and several dozens of the most famous foreign ones.
Pseudomorph collection
About 2200 mineral specimens represent different kinds of pseudomorphs and also different features of mineral growing and transformations in various conditions.
Gems and stone art collection
Among 8000 items of this collection, you can see gemstone rough, faceted gemstones, article made of stones. A rather big part of this section is Russian stone art of 18-20 centuries including about 30 items designed by the famous Russian jeweller - Karl Faberge.
Every piece of the museum collection is described in a computer catalogue.
Author of the photos: ibn_al_farabi