Virtual Gemstone Exhibitions

Photo copyright Field Museum   Yesterday I wrote about a few museums that offer virtual jewelry exhibitions. Today, I want to share a few that offer virtual gemstone exhibitions. Ready to see the earth's wonders from the safety and comfort of your couch? Let's go.  

3 Virtual Gemstone Exhibitions

The Smithsonian Institution

America's premiere museum for the exploration of geology and gemstones, The Smithsonian Institution offers an extensive exploration of their gem and mineral collection for online viewing pleasure. Begin here, with their Explore Science and Nature page. Watch fun educational videos, read in-depth articles about the earth and the cosmos. Then, click here to explore the Smithsonian's collection of gems and minerals.  The site offers a gallery of specimens, as well as links to their GeoGallery. Just like the earth offers layer after layer of exploration, so the Smithsonian's website offers layers of discovery and education. Enjoy! Photo copyright Smithsonian Institute  

The Burke from Home

The Burke Museum in Seattle invites families to explore as much of the Burke from Home as possible. Click here to discover the full range of options available to you. Then, click here to learn a little bit about the Burke's mineral collection. Sadly, they packed away their collection for lack of space. However, they offer links to a few articles with photos and details about some of the minerals and gemstones in their collection. They also offer links to other resources to learn more about minerals and geology.  

Grainger Hall of Gems (Field Museum)

The Field Museum in Chicago also offers an at-home museum experience. In addition, they offer this link to The Gem Room, with a video tour of their vault. They also offer an exhaustive guide for educators to teach about gems and minerals. Click here for the pdf. Read about the Grainger Hall of Gems and Minerals, and enjoy the photo gallery, all from the comfort of home. Photo copyright Field Museum, Chicago   This ought to keep you busy today. If you need more, do a quick search online for virtual gemstone exhibitions and see what comes up! If you find another great site, please share it with us here! ~Angela Magnotti Andrews