AMNH to Completely Redesign Gem and Mineral Halls

New York--The gem and mineral halls at New York City’s American Museum of Natural History will soon be getting a facelift.

The museum announced Monday morning that it will undertake a complete redesign of the halls, transforming the 11,000-square-foot space into a “gleaming showcase” for the world-renowned collection.

Construction will begin when the current halls close on Oct. 26.

The American Museum of Natural History is home to about 105,000 minerals and 5,000 gems.

The specimens there have been displayed in several different galleries over the years. Until 1974, the J. Pierpont Morgan Memorial Hall of Minerals and Gems on the 4 floor was the primary display area. Then in May 1976, the current Morgan Memorial Hall of Gems and Harry Frank Guggenheim Hall of Minerals opened on the first floor.

Now, the exhibits will be renamed for Roberto and Allison Mignone, longstanding supporters of and volunteers at the museum.

The redesigned halls will aim to tell the story of how the different types of minerals arose on the planet, how scientists classify them and how humans have fashioned them into gems and used them for personal adornment, tools and technology throughout history, curated by George Harlow, who also serves as curator of the museum’s Division of Physical Sciences.

“Forty-plus years ago, when the current galleries were designed, scientists had not yet begun to explore the concept of mineral evolution,” he said. “Today, we work within a different framework, where much of the diversity of minerals on our dynamic planet is directly connected to the evolution of life. Our new exhibits will allow us to tell how the story of minerals is linked with their natural environment and biology on the one hand and with culture and technology on the other.”

The Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals will feature new large-scale acquisitions, like the 563-carat Star of India sapphire and the 632-carat Patricia emerald, as well as pieces from the collection that haven’t been on display for decades.