FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Joan R.]

Hola
Due to my job It has led me to giving a return to the "Europe". This time I fell in Mozart's Imperial city, Vienna. Evidently the time which I was having was scanty but thanks to a popular mussels dinner that had place in the Museum (yes, yes, inside the Museum) I could take a long look along the rooms of Mineralogy until they closed... mussels I tasted not even one since I have no idea from which sea they extract them in Austria ;-).

The NATURHISTORISCHES MUSEUM is located in an incomparable building constructed at the end of the XIXth century by the emperor Franz Joseph I. It contains collections of great mineralogists, with specimens of historical, geographical and aesthetic value. Do not get lost, if also you have opportunity, the sculptures related to the Mineralogy and Mining industry that you will find in the walls and roofs in the mineralogy halls. Emphasize the specimens from the Imperial collections that the emperors gave to the Museum, as well as those of mineralogists of renown as Tschermak, Mohs, Schrauf, between others.

The exhibition cabinets of systematical collections with the flavor of XIXth's, which gives a special attraction, but the lighting is poor, Iwith shades and a bit of dust. Also the labels are a little bit scarced in info.The exposed pieces are thousands and evidently there are "sample" quality, good and exceptional specimens. In the rooms there are thematic vitrins with Austrian minerals and from Tirol. Distinguish good specimens of epidot from Salzburg, a few exceptional English liroconites, a good representation of Alpine minerals, big crystals of salt from Poland, diamonds and emeralds of great size, etc.

Also a showroom with meteorites all over the world, of hundreds of impacts. A very good collection that would deserve a new museum project, but as always not much money available... a common disease of many european museums.

Also you can visit the rooms of Paleontology, Zoology ... very interesting, and like always solitary. It is possible to visit the web that you will find easily in the "internautical" habitual websearchers.

Joan

[Jordi Fabre]

I agree Joan, but just add to your article the fact that although no so well displayed, the Wien Museum contains several fabulous specimens as the Hessite from Botes, the Bornite from Froßnitzalpe or the Mimetite from Johanngeorgenstad.
All of they are visible on the Wien's Museum webpage:

https://www.nhm-wien.ac.at/d/engvorschau.html

using the "Minerals" link

Jordi

[Carles Curto]

I believe that the Austrian epidotes in Folch collection are better than those in Viena Museum. By other, on my first visit to Viena it was not easy to me to watch the samples. At 10 o'clock it was so dark tha the vision, even considering my miopy, was very difficult. All together is historical, building, cases and collection. Then, possible works on it are very limited.

[Robert Seitz]

I was able to visit the NHM - Wien last year. Rather than start another string for posting pictures, I add them here.

There are many specimens to observe. Although the labeling remains problematic and lighting variable in quality, the museum is enjoyable with many specimens to observe.

[lluis]

error