• History

THE ORIGINS

The Mineralogy Collection was founded as a section of the Cabinet of Natural History in 1814, when some important collections were donated to the University of Parma. The minerals in these subcollections (Linati, Piroli, Cavezzali, Guidotti) were inventoried by the director of the Natural History Museum Girolamo Cocconi in 1866/67. Seven years later, the Mineralogical/Paleontological Section separated from the Zoological nucleus, while in 1895 the Mineralogical Museum separated from the Geological Museum.
The official date of establishment of the Mineralogy Museum dates back to 1925, when the University acquired 500 rock specimens from the Krantz collection.
As far as location is concerned, the 1970s were characterised by constant relocations and a brief ‘cohabitation’ with the Palaeontological Museum in Via D’Azeglio.

THE PRESENT

In 1986, the Mineralogy Collection moved to the University Campus complex. The collection now comprises around five thousand samples, one thousand of which are on display. Numerous exhibits of historical, scientific and systematic interest can be observed from locations all over the world. Of particular note is the historical collection of meteorites, collected between the 18th and 19th centuries, including one that fell near Fidenza (Borgo San Donnino), which is currently being studied.
The most significant exhibits are displayed in the geological plexus of the Department of Physics and Earth Sciences, arranged according to systematic criteria.
Since 2013, the Museum has been part of the Mineralogical Section of the newly established Museum of Physics and Earth Sciences, which belongs to the department of the same name.
Following the discontinuation of the Department of Physics and Earth Sciences, the Museums, which were attached to it, have changed their names, first in the Mineralogy Museum and currently in the Mineralogy Collection.

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