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  1. Homepage
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  3. Earth science

Earth science

The Mineralogy and Palaeontology collections include rocks, minerals, gemstones and fossils. Learn more about these naturally occurring, inorganic solids.

  • Updated
    01/09/20

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Earth photographed from space.

Shaping the Earth

What makes the Earth unique? Where does it fit in the Solar System and, ultimately, the universe? Take a look inside the Earth and find out what it is made from and how it is structured. Look at the processes that shape the Earth.

Read more

Amethyst geode D.47883

What are minerals?

Minerals are the building blocks of our planet. Discover what they reveal about the history of Earth and our solar system and what makes them so essential to our existence.

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Mineral properties

Minerals can be identified using a number of properties. These include physical and chemical properties such as hardness, density, cleavage and colour, crystallography, electrical conductivity, magnetism, radioactivity and fluorescence.

Find out more

Chalcedony blue and white

Gemstones

Gemstones are prized for their beautiful colours and patterns and are used in a range of applications including jewellery, decorative items and as important features of mineral collections.

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School girl looking at megafauna display

Australia over time

Learn about our evolving landscape, Australian megafauna and other extinct animals and how we use fossils to relate the animals of the past with those of today.

Megafauna
Fossil sites in Australia
Geological time scale
Learn more

Long-wave fluorescing minerals

Mineralogy

Learn more about our mineralogy and petrology collections and study of minerals and rocks.

Gemstones
Crystals
Learn more


  • Mineralogy Collection

    Study of rocks & minerals.
    Learn more
  • Palaeontology collection

    Ancient animals and plant fossils.
    Read more
  • Australian Museum Research Institute

    Scientific discovery and conservation of our collections.
    Find out more

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Mineral specimen

Albert Chapman collection

The Albert Chapman mineral collection was purchased by the New South Wales Government in 1988.

820 rock and mineral specimens
Mineralogy collection
Discover more

3D scanning of fish fossils

Collection objects in 3D

See some of our rare and unique natural science and cultural collection objects in 3D.

Egyptian collection
Fish and fossils
Extinct mammals
Learn more

Marine Invertebrates Collection Area 2018

Marine Invertebrates

The Marine Invertebrates section is active in research on a variety of taxa, such as annelids, cnidarians and crustaceans, and holds extensive collections of most marine phyla

Crustaceans
Polychaetes
Learn more

Weird Whales books

Rare books

The Research Library holds a significant collection of rare books. This collection is regularly used in the work of Museum scientists.

Natural history
Early European exploration
Contact form
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Ichthyology Collection Area 2018

Ichthyology

Learn about our collection and research of fishes; including bony fishes and cartilaginous fishes such as sharks and rays.

Fishes
Sharks
Sting Rays
Learn more

Echidna

Mammalogy

Learn about our collection and study of mammals. Mammals include placental mammals such as rodents, primates and whales; marsupials such as kangaroos and koalas; and monotremes such as the platypus and echidna.

Monotremes
Marsupials
Bats
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Illustration of pacific objects

The Sarah Stone Collection

A fascinating collection of original watercolours by a talented female natural history artist.

Illustrations of objects from Captain Cook’s voyages
View collection

Asaro Mud Men in the museum

Asaro collection from Papua New Guinea

Explore the culture surrounding the Mud Men of Asaro, from the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea.

Holosa (ghost) Mud Masks
Performances
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Long-wave fluorescing minerals

Mineralogy

Learn more about our mineralogy and petrology collections and study of minerals and rocks.

Gemstones
Crystals
Learn more

Palaeontology Collection Area 2018

Palaeontology

Palaeontology is the study of fossils. Fossils are the remains or traces of prehistoric living things and are preserved in substances such as sediments, coal, tar, oil, amber or volcanic ash, or frozen in ice or naturally mummified.

Fossilised specimens
Ancient remains
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Crowds in the Museum

John Gould - the age of collecting

Learn more about how historical context shaped Gould's success in the field of natural history.

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Frog on a branch

Herpetology

Herpetology is the study of amphibians, including frogs, toads, salamanders and caecilians, and reptiles, including lizards, snakes, turtles and crocodiles.

Amphibians
Reptiles
Find out more

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The Australian Museum respects and acknowledges the Gadigal people as the First Peoples and Traditional Custodians of the land and waterways on which the Museum stands.
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We pay our respect to Aboriginal Elders and recognise their continuous connection to Country.
This website may contain names, images and voices of deceased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

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Photo of two painted shields

The Australian Museum respects and acknowledges the Gadigal people as the First Peoples and Traditional Custodians of the land and waterways on which the Museum stands.

Image credit: gadigal yilimung (shield) made by Uncle Charles Chicka Madden