Mineralogisches Museum, Universität Hamburg

Description

As a formerly independent exhibition collection of the university, the Mineralogisches Museum Hamburg is today part of the Museum der Natur Hamburg. The exhibition covers approximately 550 m² and presents minerals, ores, gemstones, rocks and meteorites.

The museum is located on Grindelallee in the Rotherbaum district, roughly 200 metres as the crow flies from the zoological department of the Museum der Natur Hamburg, which is affiliated with the Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversitätswandels (LIB). The mineralogical holdings historically derive from collections assembled in Hamburg since 1891 and were initially exhibited in the Naturhistorischen Museum am Steintorwall. Because of a lack of space and subsequent circumstances they were relocated several times: in 1907 to a mineralogical‑geological institute at Lübecker Tor; in 1910 made publicly accessible there in a museum presentation; moved to another building in 1933; after wartime evacuations reopened in 1950; and finally transferred in 1958 to the newly constructed institute on Grindelallee. A permanent public exhibition has existed since 1969, after rooms had been used for other purposes following the flood disaster of 1962. Above the entrance door is an artwork dated 1957; inside, three wall designs complete the room decor.

The scientific collections comprise around 90,000 objects, including some 50,000 minerals and more than 900 meteorites. About 1,500 exhibits are on public display across two levels. Outstanding pieces include the 424‑kilogram Gibeon meteorite from Namibia as well as the world’s largest stibnite crystals from Japan. In addition to minerals, the display is devoted to meteorites, jewellery and gemstones, and rocks; specimens from significant localities such as the Tsumeb Mine and the Erongo Mountains (Namibia), the manganese ore fields of South Africa and Mont Saint‑Hilaire (Canada) complete the presentation. The exhibition follows a gallery‑like concept that emphasises the aesthetic quality and uniqueness of the objects and thus complements classical, systematic arrangements — an approach also represented in the mineralogical department of the American Museum of Natural History in New York.