Renovation!

After nearly a quarter of a century the Museums Mineral Gallery has had a face lift.

Gone are the high displays at both ends of the gallery. Gone also is the imposing floor to ceiling mine, crystal and cave structures, and their place we have open, lighter vistas of the Museum’s oldest wing, the Lewis Wing, first opened in 1857. The Mineral Gallery is no longer a cul-de-sac having reopened a thoroughfare between its south western corner and the main staircase in the adjoining Barnett Wing.

Unfortunately, this has meant the temporary closure of both the Mineral Gallery and the Skeleton Gallery below. Both will reopen to the public on Saturday 29 May. Over the following few weeks various mineral collections will be reinstalled and a new gem display will installed in the Mineral Foyer, adjacent to our existing Chapman Collection. We'll put up some 'in progress' photos from this renovation work, and do keep an eye on these spaces over the next few weeks