• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar


Carnegie Museum of Natural History

One of the Four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh

  • Explore
    • Museum To Go
    • Exhibitions
    • Educators
    • Programs at the Museum
    • Tell Us About You
  • Visit
    • Buy Tickets
    • Health & Safety
    • Events
    • Shop 
    • Powdermill Nature Reserve
  • Research
    • Scientific Sections
    • Science Blogs
    • Science Videos
    • Senior Science & Research Staff
    • Museum Library
    • Scientific Publications
    • Specimen and Artifact Identification
  • Join & Give
  • Buy Tickets

Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems

  • First Floor

Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems invites you to appreciate the wild variety and beauty of minerals and gems. This exhibition artfully displays more than 1,300 specimens from all over the world that come in a large range of striking colors, fascinating forms, and dramatic shapes. Hillman Hall has gained an international reputation as one of the finest and most important mineral exhibitions in the country.

Admire the bright green, mossy like texture of a pyromorphite specimen or find out what causes the delicately hued colors in massive pieces of quartz. Learn about minerals that make up everything from table salt to diamond rings, or check out some tools that mineralogists use like microscopes and Geiger counters. Watch how some minerals are transformed in ultraviolet light or get lost in the Masterpiece Gallery taking in each unique specimen.

Hillman Hall displays highlight systematics, mineral localities, pseudomorphism, and more with a special section dedicated to Pennsylvania’s mineralogical diversity.

young woman looking at minerals

Meet our Researchers

Carla Rosenfeld

Carla Rosenfeld, Ph.D.

Assistant Curator of Earth Sciences

Travis Olds

Travis Olds, Ph.D.

Assistant Curator of Minerals

Wilson, Deb

Debra Wilson, M.A.

Collection Manager of Minerals and Earth Sciences

Learn More

Learn about the Mineral and Earth Sciences Collection at the Museum

The Section of Minerals and Earth Sciences includes an outstanding suite of minerals from the former Soviet Union, a historically important suite of nearly 5,000 Pennsylvania minerals formerly owned by the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, and more than 2,700 Pennsylvania minerals acquired from the Bryon Brookmyer collection.

Learn about the Section of Minerals and Earth Sciences
  • Fungi make minerals and clean polluted water along the way!

    Fungi make minerals and clean polluted water along the way!

    June 11, 2020
    Fungi are all around in the environment. For example, the mold that invades wet basements, the mushrooms that we cook with, and …
  • Roll Out the Beryl

    Roll Out the Beryl

    June 4, 2019
    Beryl has many different varieties that you may be familiar with, the most recognized being: Emerald (green), Heliodor (yellow), Morganite (pink), and …
  • Everything Pennsylvania

    Everything Pennsylvania

    May 7, 2019
    On May 10th a new temporary exhibit is scheduled to be installed in Wertz Gallery: Gems and Jewelry that will feature gemstones, cabochons, …
  • Avengers Scavenger Hunt at the Museum

    Avengers Scavenger Hunt at the Museum

    April 22, 2019
    This event has ended. Keep an eye on our website and social media for more fun events!

sidebar

About

  • About
  • Museum History
  • Senior Staff
  • Strategic Plan 2020-2022
  • Image Permission Requests

Get Involved

  • Volunteer
  • Membership
  • Carnegie Discoverers
  • Donate
  • Employment
  • Events

Bring a Group

  • Groups of 10 or More
  • Virtual Museum Birthday Parties
  • Virtual Field Trips
  • Scouts

Powdermill

  • Powdermill Nature Reserve
  • Powdermill Field Trips
  • Powdermill Staff
  • Research at Powdermill

More Information

  • Press
  • Image Permission Requests
  • Blog
  • Shopping Cart
  • Contact
Rad works here logo
One of the Four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh | ©2020 Carnegie Institute | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Accessibility