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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.

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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.
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Dave Pross examines grinding grooves at Quad Pad

Australian Archaeology

The Australian Museum holds a large number of cultural material and objects obtained from archaeological sites in New South Wales, as well as items from various regions throughout Australia.

Archaeological Collection Deposition
Policy
Protocols
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Sheldon with Eric Pliosaur

Collection Care and Conservation

We specialise in the preservation of archaeological and cultural objects, rare books and archives, and biology and geology collections. Respect for communities’ cultural property are always a major factor in our decisions.

Preventive conservation
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Theban mummy coffin detail

World Cultures Collection

Explore the material culture of indigenous peoples throughout the world in the Australian Museum's World Cultures Collection.

Egyptian
Indonesian
African
American
Chinese
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Illustration of a butterfly

The Scott sisters collection

With their collecting boxes, notebooks and paintbrushes, Harriet and Helena Scott entered the masculine world of science and became two of 19th-century Australia’s most prominent natural history illustrators.

History
Stories
Art of Science app
Explore the collection

Hand painted glass plate negative of fish

Photographic collections

With over 15,000 glass plate negatives in our collection, many have rarely been viewed since they were originally developed. The subjects in the glass plates vary from fish specimens to anthropological displays.

Expedition photography
Staff photographers
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Capturing Climate Change

Capturing Climate Change

What are you seeing of our climate-changed corner of the world? #CapturingClimateChange is part of the Australian Museum's commitment to pursuing climate change solutions.

Online photographic exhibition
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Goniometer

Historical artefacts collection

Our collection of historical objects, memorabilia and artefacts help tell the story of the history and development of the Australian Museum.

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Handwritten rare notebook

Museum Archives

The Museum Archives cares for the Museum’s institutional memory.

Collected papers
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The birds of Australia. Supplement / by John Gould.

John Gould’s Australian publications

John Gould was an immensely successful publisher. Over the course of his lifetime he produced 21 titles, 15 which were folio sets. In total, with his team of artists, lithographers and colourists, he produced 2999 unique plates.

Bird illustrations
Contributions to science
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Japanese Antarctica expedition and the Shirase sword

A Samurai Sword in the Museum's collection symbolises a spirit of scientific co-operation and friendship between nations. Find out how Australia, Japan and Antarctic exploration are linked through the history of this sword.

Shirase sword
Historic expedition
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The birds of Great Britain. By John Gould, F.R.S., &c. ...

John Gould: books and illustrations

With the obsession of a collector and an eye for artistic talent, John Gould succeeded in creating one of the most recognisable and long-lasting brand names in natural history.

Explore the activities of this legendary 'bird man'.
Discover more

Capturing Nature book

Museum Archives and Research Library

The Museum Archives and Research Library cares for the Museum’s institutional memory and its historic natural history book and journal collections dating from 1836.

History of the Museum
Archives
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Explore our history

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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.
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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