Fersman Mineralogical Museum - Collections

Collections

All museum acquisitions since 1716 were divided at the beginning of 20th century by the academician Vladimir Vernadsky to 5 main collections:

• Systematic collection consists of more than 90000 items representing about 2400 mineral species (from 4000 species known in nature). Mineral specimens in this collection demonstrating diversity of mineral species by it constitution, morphology, physical properties, associations with other minerals.
• Crystal collection includes more than 4800 crystals of minerals representing all crystal systems and most of space groups. Mineral specimens in this collection demonstrating different forms and their combinations, twinning laws, perfection and defection of natural and man made crystals.
• Locality collections included more than 31000 specimens representing genetic features, mineral association and ore types for more than 300 former Soviet Union deposits and couple dozen well known localities in other countries.
• Pseudomorph collection includes about 2200 mineral specimens, representing different kinds pseudomorphs and also different features of mineral growing and transformations in various conditions.
• Gems and stone art collection includes аmong 8000 rough and faceted gemstones, items made of stones. A large part of this section is Russian stone art from the eighteenth to twentieth centuries including some thirty items designed by Peter Carl Fabergé, including the last Fabergé egg, the Constellation egg.