Collezione di Mineralogia "Museo Luigi Bombicci" - Bologna

The museum, which has an exhibition area of over 850 square metres, occupies the upper floor of the building that houses the Department of Earth Sciences. The current venue was promoted and designed by Luigi Bombicci, the first full professor of Mineralogy at the University of Bologna – the chair was established in 1860 – and director of the museum to which he contributed the largest collection of materials, founded between 1860 and 1903. The collection totals more than 50,000 samples of mineral rocks, which are from all over the world and are of enormous historical and scientific importance. Over 10,000 items are on display, divided into general collections as well as exhibitions by subject. The ones documenting the geo-mineralogical aspects of the Bologna area are especially interesting, alongside over 150 meteorites and, notably, the rare carbonaceous chondrite of Renazzo, more than 1000 marvellous ambers from Sicily, 650 ancient marble items, gemstones and paesina stones, and antique scientific instruments.