Museum of Mineralogy, Petrology, and Mineral Resources

Overview

The Museum of Mineralogy, Petrology, and Mineral Resources is the oldest of its kind in Bulgaria. Its history is related to the study of geology at Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski ”as a practical basis for effective training.

In 1892, students from а High School in Sofia donated a rich collection of mineral rock and fossil specimens to the newly opened Department of Natural History at the University. In this way, the foundation of the current museum has been laid.

Over the years, the museum has been housed in various university buildings. He was even bombed. In 1953 it was moved from the building of the Faculty of Biology to the new South Wing of Sofia University, where it is still located.

The arrangement of the exhibits is in accordance with the curricula. At the same time, samples of high museum and collector's value can be seen in the museum.

The heads of the museum over the years have been prominent Bulgarian geologists and mineralogists. Old manuscripts, original works of generations of geologists are kept in the archive as well as working materials of lecturers and students from the University Department.

The funds and expositions of the museum are enriched by purchasing samples from leading commercial companies for minerals, donations from famous scientists and mineralogists, and collecting and research activities of teachers and students from the Mineralogy, Petrology, and Mineral Resources Department.

The museum provides its exhibition area for visiting exhibitions on topics related to Earth sciences, the educational activities of the University, collectors, and lovers of the mineral world, student internships, and expeditions.

Currently, 16,200 specimens are stored in the museum's funds, half of which are exhibited in 7 expositions: "Systematics", "Petrography", "Minerals", "Crystallography", "Regional Mineralogy", "Genetic Mineralogy - Individuals and Aggregates" ”,“ Memorial Collections ”.