State Geological Museum. IN AND. Vernadsky - the oldest Moscow museum, research center, educational center of the Russian Academy of Sciences in studying the Earth. The museum was founded in 1755. The idea of ​​creating a museum owned by Mikhail Lomonosov, and the basis for the museum collection was put Demidov collection, donated to the museum.

In its current form there is a museum since 1988. It was then, at the suggestion of Professor Mineeva, supported by the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, the government issued a decree "On the 125th anniversary of the birth of Vernadsky." It was the point of creating a museum in the building on Moss in the city center. With the creation of the State Geological Museum. Vernadsky, were united museum collections of the two museums: Geological and Paleontological Museum and the Museum of Paul. Vernadsky. In 1994 the museum was transferred to the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The museum building was renovated and its facilities were organized by the original exposure.

Mineralogical museum's collection is among the three largest collections in Russia. Some of the exhibits of the museum were more than two hundred years of visual aids in teaching students of the Moscow University and the Moscow Institute of Geological Exploration. The museum's collection contains specimens that are the reference material of mineral species. It has samples of minerals from the open fields. Ilmenite - from an open field in the same Ilmen Reserve, Jose - San Jose, etc.

To date, the museum presents almost 60 thousand exhibits, samples of 1100 species of minerals. The museum collected samples from the 5000 field. For two centuries the history of the museum is continuously replenished his funds philanthropists, statesmen, scientists and students.

The museum has a unique mineral specimens. So, phlogopite crystal of Slyudyanka, 1 meter high, produced in 1929, is the largest in Russia. Huge (more than 60 cm. In length), prismatic crystals of apatite entered the museum from the same deposit. Stove native copper mined in Kazakhstan, weighs about five hundred kilograms. The lump of malachite from the Urals weighs 200 kg. The lump was donated by one of Demidov and exhibited on a special pedestal. The huge core salt stone brought from the Donbass. It is 80 centimeters in diameter and has a height of 1 m 2. On display there are rare, unique size crystals orpiment, pleonaste, analcime, cassiterite, and many more unique designs.