The Mineralogy Museum is a place of wonder and inspiration. In the gallery, it is common to see an artist draw a mineral, a portrait, an architecture, an atmosphere. The Museum is also the playground of professors and students of the Beaux-Arts de Paris, who frequently come to practice in this magical place.
Following the last DRAWN VISITS by the students of Valérie Sonnier and Jack McNiven, both professors at the Beaux-Arts de Paris, they invite you to discover a selection of around twenty sketchbooks, offered in two showcases in the main room of the museum gallery.
*****
*
*****
For each month, there is one or several associated gemstones! On the occasion of the end-of-year celebrations, the Mineralogy Museum offers two showcases dedicated to the discovery of BIRTHSTONES. For the month of December, no less than three gems are in the spotlight: turquoise, zircon and tanzanite. And you, what is your month of birth and therefore what is your "gem totem"? The temporary exhibit has been extended until January 21, 2023.
*****
*
*****
Included in the official program of the France-Portugal Season 2022, this project consists in an exhibition at the Geological Museum Lisbon and a second exhibition at the School of Mines Mineralogy Museum in Paris (Mines Paris - PSL). The project searches to connect these historical museums in the two capitals. At the origin of the Lisbon Geological Museum are the specimens collected by the Geological Commissions in Portugal starting with 1859. The Musée de Minéralogie Mines Paris - PSL was founded in 1794 and still houses the historic display of the time.
Stone is, from a physical point of view, the oldest and most persistent material in the history of humanity, as well as the paradigmatic matter of art. Nevertheless, this project aims to open a field of thought in which stones are not questioned as a material of artistic work, but rather as a carrier of information – a capsule that transports a holistic consciousness and the multiplicity of inter-connected forms of being in time and space. This exhibition is therefore a collection of thoughts about stone as an entity that transmits a significant heritage of non-human knowledge and ecological consciousness. How can this heritage be visualised, analysed, imagined and how can it be applied to our immediate present for expanding our awareness with a non-human or over-human scale?
Discover the exhibit at the Musée de Minéralogie Mines Paris - PSL from September 1st until November 10, 2022.
****
*
****
At the occasion of the 39th edition of the European Heritage Days, our beautiful museum opened its doors on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 September from 10am to 6pm, with free access to all. The Museum is located at the heart of an exceptional visit of the Vendôme Hotel including the Mines Paris - PSL Library.
****
*
****
Saturday May 14, 2022, 6pm - 11:45pm
****
*
****
With two days of free entrance and free programs for youg students on "MINERALS IN OUR SMARTPHONES", the Mineralogy Museum participated extensively in this latest program of the yearly Science Festival.
This exhibition traces the origins of the Periodic Table through the history of its precursors. Discover this wonderful human and scientific adventure that has allowed the classification of chemical elements, at the Library and at the Mineralogy Museum of MINES ParisTech - PSL.
Today it is used on a daily basis by chemists and their students, but Mendeleiev’s periodic table was first published in 1869. In celebration of the International Year of the Periodic Table, this exhibition shows the discoveries and classifications leading up to Mendeleiev’s publication.
From antiquity up to the late 18th century, the theory of the four elements – earth, air, water and fire – was dominant in chemical theory. Subsequently, the works of Antoine Laurent de Lavoisier replaced this theory with the idea of the chemical element as a body that could not be decomposed. This new definition was followed by a series of new discoveries, thanks to the development of more and more powerful analytical methods.
With the list of known elements rapidly growing, chemists searched for a way to classify all this information. During the 19th century, the development of atomism made it possible to classify the elements according to their atomic weight: thus, it was found that chemical properties of the elements recur periodically. Different periodic tables were published by six chemists between 1862 and 1869, the first of which was the telluric screw of Alexandre-Emile Béguyer de Chancourtois, and the last of which was the well-known table of Dmitri Mendeleiev. Thus, 150 years after its discovery, this exhibition will reconstruct the development of the periodic table.
On the occasion of the 36th edition of the European Heritage Days, our beautiful museum will open its doors on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 September from 10am to 6pm, with free access to all. The Museum is located at the heart of an exceptional visit of the Vendôme Hotel including the MINES ParisTech Library. You can also access the Vendôme Hotel and the Museum after visiting the greenhouses of the Luxembourg Garden, via a small back door at the end of the greenhouses' tour.
The "METEORITES - GIFTS FROM THE SKY AND FROM MANKIND" exhibition brings together exceptional meteorites: fragments of Lunar and Martian meteorites, pallasites, siderites, chondrites ... They all come from the MINES ParisTech Mineralogy Museum collection. These gifts from the sky are also gifts of people who have distinguished themselves in the discovery, the study of celestial objects fallen on Earth. "METEORITES - GIFTS FROM THE SKY AND FROM MANKIND" is a great opportunity for the Museum to thank and honor these important donors. The exhibition is presented in two temporary display cases, completing the permanent exhibition of over 50 meteorites in three show cases.
Discover more about the exhibit here:
- Saturday May 18, 2019 (7pm to midnight): MUSEUM NIGHT
The Mineralogy Museum participated again this year in the Night of Museums, with FREE ENTRANCE for all to the museum, between 7 pm and midnight (closure of the entrance of the museum at 11:30pm). A great opportunity to discover this unique place, nestled inside the historic Ecole des Mines - School of Mines - , in the hotel Vendôme. Experts in MINERALS, GEMSTONES, ROCKS and METEORITES were present to answer your questions. A collection of 4500 specimens to discover!
The Mineralogy Museum participates in the SCIENCE FESTIVAL, through a program proposed by the Universities of Paris Science and Letters (PSL). This event gives the opportunity to preview the exhibition "BEFORE MENDELEIEV: GENESIS OF THE PERIODIC TABLE" (more information on this exhibition below). As part of this national event, the Mineralogy Museum opens its doors free of charge on Wednesday, October 9th between 1:30 pm and 6 pm.
All the PSL program in the pdf file here.
Marie Sommer, accompanied by Vincent Voillat, present a selection of their works at the occasion of the Saint Germain Photo Festival, the photo tour of the Parisian "Left Bank", taking place from 7 to 24 November 2018. Find all the information about this exhibition in the dedicated page here.
The temporary exhibit "BREATHING MINERALS" is presented by Caroline Besse (painter from Nihonga) and Manon Clouzeau (ceramist), as part of the events "Paris Design Week" and "Japonisme 2018".
The Mineralogy Museum opens its doors with a free access for all during the week-end of September 15-16, 2018, for the European Heritage days (10am to 6pm). The Museum can be included in a tour of the Vendôme Hotel as well as the Library of MINES ParisTech. You can access the Museum from the usual entrance at 60 boulevard Saint-Michel, 75006 Paris, or after your visit of the greenhouses of the Jardin du Luxembourg.
The Mineralogy Museum MINES ParisTech participates in the International Exhibition at the Mineral & Gem International Show in Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines, Alsace, France. This year, the theme "FANTASMINERAL - Dreams of collectors" is developed and led by Alain Martaud. Many treasures (sometimes hidden!) from our museum are part of this new exceptional exhibition.
On the occasion of the Mineral & Gem International Show in Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines, a series of lecture is organized. This year again, the Mineralogy Museum is participating in this public event, and this year, we will talk about the unsuspected uses of mineral wonders.
In a nutshell: From natural rocks to high-tech materials, fine jewelery and space exploration, this conference will invite you to understand the dialogue between minerals and their precious finished products.
Swiss artist Alan Bogana presents an installation consisting of a series of works based on minerals from the Museum's prestigious collection. Through this installation, specially designed for the Museum, he proposes a subjective and fictional system of organization that questions the notions of nature, humanity and the planet's finite resources, as well as the blurring of borders and contours: the notion of classification itself.
This exhibition was made it possible thanks to the support of the city of Geneva.
Discover more about the exhibition.
- May 15 until June 2nd, 2018: Short temporary exhibit: "METEORITES: GIFTS FROM THE SKY AND FROM MANKIND"
The exhibition “Meteorites: gifts from the sky and from Mankind” brings together exceptional meteorites: fragments of Lunar and Martian meteorites, pallasites, siderites, chondrites, and others. The meteorites on display also show the stories of important donors of the museum. Without such people, the present collection would not be what it is.
Learn more about this exhibit.
- Saturday May 19, 2018 from 7pm until midnight: MUSEUM NIGHT / Nuit des Musées
This year again, the Mineralogy Museum is part of the European Museum Night. Visitors will be granted free access to the spectacular and historical collection of minerals, gems, meteorites, rocks and artificial minerals of Paris School of Mines. For over 200 years, the Mineralogy collection of the Paris School of Mines gathered wonders of the world. It is nowadays about 4,500 specimens that are presented to the public in the 1,000m² gallery, in a unique and historical setting preserved at the School of Mines, within the Vendôme Hotel. This exceptional gem hidden in the 6th arrondissement of Paris opens its doors with free access from 7pm until midnight on this Saturday evening of May 19, 2018.
- Thursday May 31st, 2018, 6:30pm: Lecture: "METEORITE HUNTERS" by Dr. Luc Labenne
Luc Labenne will make us travel and discover his passion during his lecture on Thursday, May 31 at 6:30pm. The conference will be followed by the showing of our short exhibition entitled "Meteorites: gifts of the sky and from mankind". It will be possible to admire and TOUCH fragments of lunar and Martian meteorites.
- February 6 until March 17, 2018: "GO WEST" by the MINES ParisTech Library
The Library of MINES ParisTech presents the exhibition "GO WEST" at the Mineralogy Museum. This exhibition, previewed in June 2017 at the Library of Fontainebleau, is to (re) discover until March 17, 2018 at the Mineralogy Museum. Access to this temporary exhibit is included in the price of a classic admission to the Museum (see Museum information here).
In a nutshell: The transcontinental railway adventure in the United States led to exploratory expeditions involving scientists and engineers. Through maps, stories and reports often richly illustrated from its collections, the School of Mines of Paris returns on these expeditions which contributed largely to the knowledge of the natural wealth of the country.
Learn more about the exhibition.
- October 18 until November 25, 2017: PARCOURS BIJOUX (JEWEL TOUR) with the exhibit "CLIVAGES" ("CLEAVAGE")
CLIVAGES interrogates stone as a material, in its essence, and the art object it becomes, as well as the environment in which it intervenes. The exhibit presents plastic, narrative and conceptual approaches. The purpose of this event is to arouse public interest, both on the nature of the material used today in the world of jewelry and on their function.
The artists of the ehxibits "CLIVAGES" are: Sébastien CARRÉ, Laura PARISOT, Ulrike KAMPFERT, Edu TARIN, Regina DABDAB, Elvira GOLOMBOSI, Julia Maria KNAPP, Patricia DOMINGUES, Katharina DETTAR, Jordane SOMVILLE, Marion FILLANCQ et Ana Carolina ESCOBAR.
This exhibition is part of the "PARCOURS BIJOUX 2017", the Parisian tour of events dedicated to contemporary jewelery, which runs through Paris from 25 September to 30 November 2017. On the program, 60 exhibitions, more than 350 designers from all over the world and many meetings will place the contemporary jewel on the front of the Parisian scene. Parcours Bijoux 2017 is a continuation of the Bijoux Tours, initiated in 2013 by the association "D'un bijou à l'autre" in partnership with the Ateliers d'Art de France. The success and echo generated by the event prompted the association to create this second major event.
Discover the Parisian tour Parcours Bijoux 2017 here and more about our exhibition here.
A Cabinet of Curiosities is filled with keys to the world. For those who want to listen, objects and minerals will tell stories. They are an invitation to travel through time, history, space, matter, art and science. Let’s embark on a wonderful journey …
- September 16 and 17, 2017: "EUROPEAN HERITAGE DAYS". During the week-end of September 16 and 17, the Mineralogy Museum MINES ParisTech is opening its doors free of charge from 10am until 6pm. Discover this exceptional national heritage! Visitors will also be able to visit the library of Paris School of Mines, and can have a direct access to the green house of the Luxembourg Garden.
- Friday June 2 to Sunday June 4, 2017: EXHIBIT "GO WEST" during the ART HISTORY FESTIVAL at MINES ParisTech FONTAINEBLEAU
Tame nature to develop American space in the 19th century.
The adventure of the transcontinental railway in the United States led to exploratory expeditions at which scientists and engineers took part. Through maps, stories and often richly illustrated reports from its collections, the Ecole des Mines de Paris (Paris School of Mines) revisits these expeditions, which contributed greatly to the knowledge of the natural wealth of the country.
Some examples of 19th-century California minerals from the Mineralogy Museum collection will be on display during the "GO WEST" exhibition.
Location: MINES ParisTech, 35 rue Saint-Honoré 77305 FONTAINEBLEAU
- Saturday May 20, 2017: "EUROPEAN NIGHT OF MUSEUMS": free entrance.
This year again, the Mineralogy Museum is part of the European Museum Night. Visitors will be granted free access to the spectacular and historical collection of minerals, gems, meteorites, rocks and artificial minerals of Paris School of Mines. For over 200 years, the Mineralogy collection of the Paris School of Mines gathered wonders of the world. It is nowadays about 4,500 specimens that are presented to the public in the 1,000m² gallery, in a unique and historical setting preserved at the School of Mines, within the Vendôme Hotel. This exceptional gem hidden in the 6th arrondissement of Paris opens its doors with free access from 7pm until midnight on this evening of May 20, 2017.
- Saturday May 20, 2017: CRYSTAL SOUND during the "EUROPEAN NIGHT OF MUSEUMS": free entrance. Music performance.
Discover the artists and their music in this youtube video.
- March 29 until April 22, 2017: TEMPORARY EXHIBIT "COSMOS" by Edouard WOLTON
For this innovative exhibit the artist Edouard Wolton will present 18 digitally enhanced photographs, each measuring an impressive 1m by 70cm, that capture diverse minerals in the Museum's collection. The panels will be installed in the center of the museum, on a tubular central structure of polished aluminum, creating an unprecedented assemblage of prints transformed into paintings, drawing us deeper into the structure and logic of these fabulous specimens. In addition, small colorful and figurative paintings will punctuate the exhibit.
This event is linked to the exhibit "AYAHUASCA", also by Edouard Wolton, which will be presented during the ART PARIS ART FAIR 2017, at the Grand Palais from March 30 until April 2, 2017.
Press document about COSMOS and AYAHUASCA (in French)
- Thursday January 19, 2017 at 6pm: CONFERENCE AND VISIT OF THE EXHIBIT "ILLUMINATIONS - EARTH TO JEWEL"
Eloïse Gaillou, associate curator at the Mineralogy Museum MINES ParisTech, gave a lecture entitled: "EARTH TO JEWEL" at MINES ParisTech at 6pm. The lecture was followed by a visit of the temporary exhibit "Illuminations - Earth to Jewel" (jewelry by artist Paula Crevoshay, rough minerals of the Mineralogy Museum collection). The evening ended with a little gathering around drinks. The conference room was full with over 100 people who attended the event: thanks to all who were able to come!
- March 4 until October 9, 2016: Temporary Exhibit at the Montbéliard Museum: « Splendeurs minérales : Œuvres de collection, produits du quotidien au Musée d’art et d’histoire » – Hôtel Beurnier Rossel Place St Martin, 25200 Montbéliard. For ever, men used natural ressources to make the tools he needed. From plaster to fireworkds, from matches to cell phones and cosmetics, minerals are everywhere in our everyday life. Crystlas, extraordinary built up with time, fascinate with their amazing shapes or colors. With a selection of over 3,000 specimens, the exhibit tells the story of a universe rich and surprising, between geological enigma, scientific interest, aesthetic quality, abling to rediscover the crysaline word under all of its aspects. Twenty minerals from the Mineralogy Museum MINES ParisTech will be on special display during this exhibit at the Montbéliard museum.
- September 17 and 18, 2016: "EUROPEAN HERITAGE DAYS". During the week-end of September 17 and 18, the Mineralogy Museum MINES ParisTech is opening its doors free of charge from 10am until 6pm. Discover this exception national heritage! Visitors will also be able to visit the library of Paris School of Mines, and can have a direct access to the green house of the Luxembourg Garden.
- June 23 until 26, 2016: Temporary exhibit at the Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines Mineral & Gem show. The yearly Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines show also presents to the public the "Prestige Exhibit" with minerals from museums and private collections. This year's theme is: "The origins: Stones and Wines". Numerous minerals from the Mineralogy Museum MINES ParisTech will be part of this special exhibit.
- Saturday May 21, 2016 : "EUROPEAN NIGHT OF MUSEUMS": free entrance. This year again, the Mineralogy Museum is part of the European Museum Night. Visitors will be granted free access to the spectacular and historical collection of minerals, gems, meteorites, rocks and artificial minerals of Paris School of Mines. For over 200 years, the Mineralogy collection of the Paris School of Mines gathered wonders of the world. It is nowadays about 4,500 specimens that are presented to the public in the 1,000m² gallery, in a unique and historical setting preserved at the School of Mines, within the Vendôme Hotel. This exceptional gem hidden in the 6th arrondissement of Paris opens its doors with free access from 7pm until midnight on this evening of May 21, 2016.
- Friday February 5, 2016 at 8:40pm on France 5 television: Didier Nectoux will be featured on the TV show: "On n'est pas que des cobayes". A new challenge to discover!
- From January 27 until March 18, 2016: MOOC "Widespread rocks and minerals: genesis, identification and use". The beginning of the online courses, in French, is January 27, and will be available until March 2016.
- September 8, 2015 until January 31, 2016 : The Mineralogy Museum loans two specimens to the temporary exhibit: "Osiris: Egypt's sunken mysteries", which is hosted at the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris.
- Monday January 25, 2016 at 3:30pm, at the Bijorhca show, Parc des Exposition, Porte de Versaille : Conference by Eloïse Gaillou on " The Hope diamond: a historic blue diamond at the service of science". Every year, the Bijorhca show unites the world of jewelry. This year, the show runs from January 22 until January 25, 2016. During the show, a series of conferences is organized. Eloïse Gaillou will give her lecture on her research nito the famous Hope Diamond. Conference is open to everyone, but the show requires an entrance fee.
January 7, 2016: The Mineralogy Museum became a post office for the day. A series of 12 stamps representing 12 minerals of the School of Mines collection were on display January 7th at the museum. The series of stamps is still available in each French Post Office. The minerals on the stamps were displayed to the public in a dedicated show case. A series of postcards matching the minerals on the stamps were created, and are still available for sale at the Museum.
The Mineralogy Museum and La Poste were deligheted to welcome you to the museum for this event!
December 17, 2015 at 5pm : Conference on "The French Crown Jewels" presented by François Farges, Professor at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, and by Eloïse Gaillou, associate curator at The Mineralogy Museum.
Decembre 8, 2015 at 7pm : Concert. The band led by Alexandre Mallard brings together seven singers who are pationate about Renaissance music. For this concert in the enchanting setting of the School of Mines Mineralogy Museum, the band explored French music of the sixteenth century. The band performed a deiverse series of pieces, includin those from Clement Janequin - a famous composer from the period.
Wednesday November 18, 2015, 2 to 5pm: A geoscience meeting on "Geological and geomechanical risks", organized by The Mineralogy Museum MINES ParisTech, the Société Géologique de France and the Musée d'Histoire Naturelle occured at MINES ParisTech (60 boulevard Saint Michel, Paris 75006), in the Schlumberger amphitheatre. Subscription is free but mandatory.
Friday November 13, 2015, 8:40pm on France 5 channel: Didier Nectoux was part of the TV show "On n'est pas que des cobayes" in order to help for the challenge "Create a floating rock boat!". Find the video here (the rock boat challenge begins at 33:30min in the video).
Saturday and Sunday September 19 and 20, 2015: The Mineralogy Museum was open for free and for all during the European "Journées du Patrimoine", from 10am to 6pm.
September 10, 2015 : Scientific conference given by Eloïse Gaillou at the CINaM laboratory in Marseille : "Constrains on highly strained pink diamonds by high spatial resolution FTIR and Raman mapping".
September 9, 2015: Welcome visit of the Mineralogy Museum for the new students of the School of Mines, by Vincent Pasquero and Didier Nectoux.
July 7, 2015 at 6pm at the Laboratoire Français de Gemmologie : Conference given by Eloïse Gaillou on "Blue Diamonds". An abstract of the event is available on the LFG website.
May 20, 2015 at 6pm at the French Natural History Museum (Musée National d’Histoire Naturelle) : conference by Eloïse Gaillou for the association SAGA on the themes of important American Museums : « Mineral collections of the Smithsonian Institution of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County ».
Saturday May 16, 2015: La Nuit des Musées (Museum night). The Mineralogy Museum opens its doors at night for free during the National Museum night.
April 18, 2015 in Carlsbad, California: the Sinkankas symposium was all about Opals this year. Eloïse Gaillou, associated curator, was the guest speaker for this symposium, and talked about « An overview on gem opals: from the geology, through the color, to the microstructure ». The proceedings volume from the Opal-themed symposium features 120 pages of original articles and more than 150 photos.
April 13, 2015 at 5pm: Conference "Exceptional minerals, useful minerals" at the College de France (11 place Marcelin Berthelot, 75005 Paris Amphitheatre Marguerite de Navarre). Open to the public. Didier Nectoux, curator of the Mineralogy Museum MINES ParisTech participated in this event, which brought along the three mineral collections in Paris. The College de France proposed an event untitled "exceptional Minerals, useful minerals" during which were presented and discussed "live" a set of unique minerals from the three great Parisian Mineralogy collections. The conference can be viewed here.
January 20 to April 28, 2015: online course (MOOC) on "Common rocks and minerals: origin, identification and use".
March 11, 2015: Ephemeral exhibit organized by Nott, running from 6 to 9:30pm in the gallery of the Mineralogy Museum MINES ParisTech.
*****
*
*****
Any questions about the museum or the collection ? Contact us
Find all the information to come to the Mineralogy Museum here
Musée de Minéralogie
Mines Paris - PSL
60 boulevard Saint Michel
75006 Paris
OPENING HOURS:
TUESDAY: 10am - 12pm and 1:30pm - 6pm.
WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY: 1:30pm - 6pm
SATURDAY: 10am - 12:30pm and 2pm - 5pm
Closed on National Holidays, Sundays and Mondays
NEXT CLOSING DAYS:
Wednesday May 1st, 2024
From Wednesday May 8 to Saturday May 11, 2024
Find all our temporary exhibits and special events here
