Inside The New Halls Of Gems & Minerals At The AMNH
24 photos
Behold, the magnificent geode that opens the new Halls of Gems and Minerals. The geode is made of amethyst quartz formed nearly 135 million years ago.
The Singing Stone, which the new guide to the hall describes as a "massive azurite-malachite block", was collected in 1891 in Bisbee, Arizona.
A closeup of the Singing Stone, which seems to glow with an eerie light.
A large calcite and aragonite crystal.
The other of the two massive amethyst geodes in the hall, this one in front of the exit.
The hall has over 5000 specimens, which makes it the most packed hall at AMNH.
A large block of beryl.
In the "Minerals and Light" gallery, a massive fluorescent rock takes up an entire wall. The lighting in the gallery rotates through various wavelengths- under some the rock looks quite unremarkable, but under others, it shines brilliantly.
The fluorescent rock is from Sterling Hill Mine in New Jersey.
A "metasequoia", an enormous slice of petrified dawn redwood, "turned to stone after being buried by volcanic ash."
The hall features an inset gallery; the first show is "Beautiful Creatures", showcasing jewelry in the shape of various animals.
A dragonfly in the Beautiful Creatures show.
More dragonflies in the Beautiful Creatures show.
A reptile necklace in the Beautiful Creatures show.
A spider in the Beautiful Creatures show.
Sea creatures in the Beautiful Creatures show.
A carved jade buffalo in the new Halls of Gems and Minerals.
A sapphire.
The Star of India sapphire, a highlight of the collection, weighing in at 563 carats, "making it the largest gem-quality star sapphire known."
A butterfly display of gems.
Closeup of one of the many cases in the new Hall; the specimens have been rearranged to better match current scientific understanding and education curriculums.
An enormous elbaite crystal, which is a form of tourmaline. It's named "the Tarugo", and is "one of the largest intact mineral crystals ever found."
A gigantic stibnite crystal, weighing in at 838 pounds.
A giant slab of rock in the new Halls of Gems and Minerals.