Senckenberg Natural History Collections

Museum of Mineralogy and Geology

Dresden


The Museum of Mineralogy and Geology in Dresden is among the most significant museums in Germany with respect to research in the geosciences. The collections comprise about 400,000 minerals, fossils and stones.
 

The fact that specimens in its collections were first mentioned in the year 1587 makes it the oldest geoscience institution in the world, and suggests an active developmental history. The collections include many type specimens (described for the first time) and originals (researched items) of fossils and minerals and stones.

Now the Museum for Mineralogy and Geology is composed of five sections: Mineralogy, Petrography, Paleozoology, Paleobotany and Geochronology.

The geosciences library of the museum can provide an abundance of very valuable old publications and modern scientific literature.