News

The Hubert C. de Monmonier Collection

See the beautiful, the classic, the rare, and the worldwide scope of Hubert C. de Monmonier’s unique mineral collection, on display for the very first time. The extraordinary exhibit includes precious metals from gold to platinum, unusual quartz specimens, and 16th century classic texts in mineralogy.

 

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UA Gem And Mineral Museum Moving

The University of Arizona Geosciences Department has set its sights on expansion for decades, and this dream is becoming a reality. We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to call the stunning Pima County Corthouse our new home. We are set to expand our scope and presence with a state-of-the-art University of Arizona Gem And Mineral Museum.

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Senior Curatorial Specialist Shirley Wetmore retires

Since her arrival at the University of Arizona in 1975, she has worked tirelessly to maintain and improve the collections, promote the Mineral Museum and educate thousands of visiting schoolchildren in minerals and geology.

Shirley first became a volunteer at the University of Arizona Mineral Museum in 1975, shortly after her arrival in Tucson. It was during this time that she helped organize and catalog the Museum’s collection that dates back to 1891...

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Minerals of China

Don’t miss our new exhibit, “Crystalline Treasures: the Mineral Heritage of China.  You’ll see astonishing mineral specimens from China that have never been seen before in a public exhibition.  And you’ll learn about the ancient history and culture of China, a civilization that goes back five thousand years, a civilization that changed the world with the invention of gunpowder, paper, and silk.

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UA Mineral Museum Receives Its Largest Donation of Minerals Ever

The UA department of geosciences’ Mineral Museum recently received the largest single donation in the museum’s history – more than 8,000 mineral samples, including about 1,000 species the museum did not have. The donated samples will be used for research and may help identify rocks on Mars.

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