FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Don Lum]

Jordi,

Thank you for this great opportunity to see these specimens. I think a lot of us may not have a chance to see them in person.

Don

[MIM Museum]

A new set of wonderful specimens

[Tobi]

Thank you so much for showing us these outstanding mineral specimens! I'm so stunned by their size AND quality that I feel reminded of browsing the thread with the Giazotto collection... my favourite is the 14 cm liddicoatite ( https://www.mineral-forum.com/message-board/download.php?id=51600 ), incredible!!!

Please more :)
Tobi

[MIM Museum]

[keldjarn]

Jordi,

I will also extend my thanks to you and the Mim museum for posting these excellent photos. I hope one day to be able to visit the museum.
One of the pictures is said to show :" Genthelvite, Shigar Valley, Skardu District, Baltistan, Northern Areas, Pakistan". It is obviously from a granite pegmatite and also hosts Spessartine. Based on this info I would hold it most unlikely that it is a Zn-dominant Genthelvite. It is most probably a Mn-dominant Helvite.

Knut

[Martin Rich]

[MIM Museum]

Ongoing...

[Jordi Fabre]

As the FMFers already know, a great, extraordinary, Museum grew almost on its own in a small country located in the center of a traditional conflict zone in this part of the Middle East.

We are familiar with the fact that many of the world's major towns also hold the world's major Museums. It is easy to see in our list of Mineral Exhibits Museums Worldwide names like Washington DC , Dallas, Houston, Denver, London, Paris, Ontario... So it seems to mean that it is necessary for a major Museum to be located in a big city and country…

One day Mr. Salim Edde decided to start a mineral collection with the notion to grow a large collection. As Salim was fortunate to create a successful company he didn’t have the financial restrictions that all we mortals have. Anyway, money is not everything, as is shown by the many names of "famous" collectors whose collections are currently dispersed. To create an extraordinary collection demands a lot of dedication, a lot of time, confidence, read as many books and magazines as possible that provide mineralogical information, see lots of FMF and Mindat ;-), and also have the luck and the wisdom to be able to have the advice of someone whose neutral experience minimizes the inevitable errors of judgment we can all make given the complexity and diversity of the quality of the different mineral species. Also, Salim was lucky to be a mega-buyer in the times when the price of the minerals was not as stratospheric as it is now (Paul Desautels' prophecy has been fulfilled: the top minerals today have prices not so far off the prices of the works of art) and so however much money was spent he was still in time to buy exceptional specimens with "non brutal" prices.

Well, we already have a collector and a collection, but this collection is all wrapped up and stored in boxes. What to do with it? This is where the story gets amazing. Instead of Salim receiving honors, congratulations, and all kinds of collaborations to set up "his" Museum in Paris, he decides that, since he is from Lebanon and that what he wants is the best for his country, he talks with a prestigious Lebanese University and gets a large space in that University, makes a pharaonic investment, creates one of the most technologically advanced Museums, and deposits his mega-collection there. All that may seem simple, but which of us who had such an extraordinary collection as the Salim collection would have the courage to spend a small fortune to create a Museum in a country like Lebanon, full of huge uncertainties, surrounded by neighbors who hate each other, with a number of refugees exceeding 30% of the population of the country, a country that not long ago had a terrible civil war, a country with dozens of different religions, and that from years ago has been oppressed, having to bear the enormous weight of terrible armed conflict around it?

In this short review I will not talk much about minerals MIM (which are great, often better than anyone could imagine), nor about the building of the recognized Saint-Joseph University that has a level of education's quality among the best, nor the inside of the Museum that Salim had built, exceeding the most imaginative concept we may have to create a modern and attractive museum. What I want to talk about is the fact that someone has loved so much his own country to give the best of himself and permanently exhibit what he likes the most, his collection, even knowing full well the great hazards involved and knowing also that the gratitude he will collect is scarce, either from the number of visitors to the Museum and the recognition of the work he has done, especially due also to the limited possibilities of recognition that his country has. Both Lebanese themselves (for the gigantic problems they have) and the worldwide collectors (given the caveats and/or fear that exists for that area of the world) can't give Salim the recognition he deserves.
This post is the result of my recent visit to the MIM and it aims to be a try to help Salim and his team (Suzy Hakimian and Carole Atallah - see her comments below) in their efforts and help them avoid that these efforts are in vain.

I've been in the MIM, I have seen the problems of the wonderful Lebanese people as well as the joy they share, his great gastronomy and his warmly welcome to the foreigners. I have seen the enthusiasm and love of Salim for his minerals and collection, and, as I am not Salim's advisor at all and that I have not a big relationship through trades with him that can force me to give him extra credit, I honestly say that the MIM Museum is an superhuman effort and an act of great value that deserves to be recognized worldwide. Given the availability, time and opportunities that each one could have, if one day you can visit this Museum, the visit will be a visit you will never forget and I am sure that like me, it will touch your heart.

Quel Courage!

I copy below a very nice addition from Carole Atallah:

Warning: visiting Lebanon is very dangerous, you could develop an addiction to this country!
Addicted to Lebanon? A country with security issues, we hear constantly on the news, about the assassinations, the kidnapping of soldiers, the ongoing war at the northern frontier with the Islamic State, and so on. How could someone even think of traveling to such a country?
That is one side of the story.
The other side of it is about the Lebanese population, their love to their country, their hospitality with foreigners. Their faith in a country where they invest, always looking for ideas to promote it. One example would be the International Festivals that took place in Byblos, Beiteddine, Baalbak, during summer 2014, hosting Yanni, the legendary Greek composer and performer, Epica, the Dutch symphonic metal band, Stromae, the Belgian born singer and songwriter, Joss Stone, the English soul singer-songwriter. And that is a short list of the performing artists at those festivals.
The other side of the story is also about the outings, pubs, bars, and night clubs. At Uruguay Street, a pedestrian street of Downtown Beirut, different generations, from different religious communities, hang out for a drink, while listening to local bands and DJ’s. As for the Sky Bar, White and B018, they host International DJ’s. And yes, you will see people dancing on the tables at those night clubs.
The story is about the good food, the Lebanese mezze, where you can have 20 (and even more) different dishes to share, each one better than the other, a gourmet delight! And never forget to keep some space for the desert!
The story of Lebanon is also about the ecological trails that different NGO’s have started to implement. It is about the historical buildings, the archaeological sites, and the long history of a country that have traveled through time, and civilizations.
It is the story of contradictions, the story of extremes.
Yes, you are right; you can find all of the above in other countries, safer than Lebanon. Why take the risk and go there? Because it is all about feeling alive, experiencing Lebanon, and getting addicted to it!
At MIM, we have nicknamed one of Salim’s stones (a Baryte) the Blue Cedar. Blue being the color of hope, Cedar, Cedrus Libani, the emblem of Lebanon!

Carole Atallah


I know, I know FMFers, you are looking for the minerals... Well, you have many upside! ;-)

OK, I will graciously invite you to two video promenades inside this magic Museum:

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MIM Museum Beirut Lebanon - 1.jpg
Description:	_Let me start the images with something that everybody expects to see when visiting Beirut, a Mosque!
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MIM Museum Beirut Lebanon - 2.jpg
Description:	_Beirut is not an old, decadent city, some parts are modern and all around you can see new buildings being built...
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MIM Museum Beirut Lebanon - 3.jpg
Description:	_...and some parts still are a kind of old style, so "a mix" could be a good word to describe this city.
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MIM Museum Beirut Lebanon - 4.jpg
Description:	_But I know you expect more, the Museum ;-) Here you have his wonderful entry...
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MIM Museum Beirut Lebanon - Salim Edde 1.jpg
Description:	_...and here you have Mr. Salim Edde...
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MIM Museum Beirut Lebanon - Salim Edde 2.jpg
Description:	_...always working...
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MIM Museum Beirut Lebanon - Salim Edde and Suzy Hakimian.jpg
Description:	_...or giving instructions to Suzy Hakimian...
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MIM Museum Beirut Lebanon - Salim Edde with Suzy Hakimian and Carole Atallah.jpg
Description:	_...with some time for relax with Suzy Hakimian and Carole Atallah.
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MIM Museum Beirut Lebanon - The cheery Carole Atallah.jpg
Description:	_And talking about Carole Atallah, here she is! ;-)
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MIM Museum Beirut Lebanon - The Collection 2.jpg
Description:	_Much better photos of the minerals than the photos I can do were already published in this thread, and many more will be published, so, aside from the two videos I took, I prefer to add just some shots of the show cases in order to show how they look.
Viewed:	79380 Time(s)

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MIM Museum Beirut Lebanon - The Collection 1.jpg
Description:	_Like small stars shining in the dark
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MIM Museum Beirut Lebanon - The Collection 3.jpg
Description:	_Do you want a large amazonite? a kunzite? ;-)
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MIM Museum Beirut Lebanon - The Collection 4.jpg
Description:	_A lot of rocks!
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MIM Museum Beirut Lebanon - Flyer 1.jpg
Description:	_And to finish this slight promenade for the MIM Museum, let me add the flyers they have as well as the booklet of the Saint-Joseph University with the insertion of the MIM Museum in the University general description. This is the front side of the main flyer
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MIM Museum Beirut Lebanon - Flyer 2.jpg
Description:	_Back side of the main flyer
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MIM Museum Beirut Lebanon - Flyer 3.jpg
Description:	_Front side of another flyer
Viewed:	79056 Time(s)

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MIM Museum Beirut Lebanon - Flyer 4.jpg
Description:	_Back side
Viewed:	79250 Time(s)

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MIM Museum Beirut Lebanon - Universite Saint-Joseph Front.jpg
Description:	_And the front page of the Saint-Joseph University booklet...
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MIM Museum Beirut Lebanon - Universite Saint-Joseph inside.jpg
Description:	_...with the MIM Museum addition inside.
Viewed:	79065 Time(s)

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MIM Museum Beirut Lebanon - The Collection - Dancing Silver.jpg
Description:	_Thanks to Salim, Suzy and Carole for the help to improve my text as well as to James Catmur to revise my confusing English language! ;-) And...thanks again to Carole for her indefatigable patience answering my numerous questions about Lebanon.
Viewed:	78958 Time(s)

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Audaces fortuna iuvat

[Fiebre Verde]

Today I had the chance to visit the MIM museum for the first time. Salim Eddé was out of town and I was warmly greeted by Suzy Hakimian who gave me a small tour of the museum.
Until the official inauguration last year and the laudatory comments in this Forum, I did not even know who was Salim Eddé.
Of course after reading some posts are browsing some pictures I quickly realized that what Salim was doing was pretty much unique in the minerals collector's world.
He was actually opening his outstanding collection to the public by creating from scratch a private museum. And guess where? In the last place where you want to take the risk to open a mineral museum, his hometown, Beirut.
Getting into the MIM museum in a chaotic city like Beirut is such an oddity.
If you happen to fly between Europe and Asia, make a stopover in Beirut to visit this museum.
And if you are not flying between Europe and Asia, plan a trip to Beirut.
And when you are done with the museum, there are many other ways to escape from the chaos - drop me a mail and I will give you some tips.
Gérard

[MIM Museum]

A new gift from Salim, Carole, Suzy and the Lebanese people, which is the lucky recipient of this wonderful collection.

[MIM Museum]

[MIM Museum]

Images of the Collection / 8

[MIM Museum]

This post is the final of this batch of images. It is sad, but keep the hope of the next batch as well as the immense pleasure to watch the downloaded images! ;-)

[MIM Museum]

Time to enjoy again!

[Roger Warin]

Stunning specimens.
Many thanks,
Roger.

[MIM Museum]

Images of the Collection / 11

[MIM Museum]

Images of the Collection / 12

[Tobi]

Breathtaking specimens!!! ... The sizes of them, really incredible!

[MIM Museum]

Images of the Collection / 13

[Tobi]

The orange fluorite from Freiberg and the Sicilian sulfur!!! ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥