THE MINERALOGICAL MUSEUM

The Mineralogical Museum of the "Babeş-Bolyai" University has a long history, a rich scientific tradition and a diversity of mineral species. It was established as academic collection in 1919, inheriting a collection of samples from the Institute of Mineralogy (Franz Joszef University). Subsequently, the collections were reorganised, continuously and substantially enriched by donations, exchanges, acquisitions and samples collected by the professors and students in geology. The Mineralogical Museum of the Babeş-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca is scientificaly co-ordinated by the Chair of Mineralogy, Faculty of Biology and Geology.
The museum contains nowdays about 25,000 samples, grouped in the following main collections:
1. The systematic collection (about 10,000 samples from the world´s most important mineral occurrences, illustrating over 800 mineral species);
2. The regional collection (about 1,500 mineral and rock samples from Romania);
3. The native gold collection (450 samples);
4. The collection of meteorites (222 samples; it represents the most important collection of this type in Romania);
5. The gemstones collection (almost 250 cut gems);
6. The collection of Romanian gemstones (about 3,500 samples);
7. The collection of minerals discovered for the first time in Romanian occurrences (40 samples);
8. The collection of radioactive minerals (about 200 samples);
9. The ore minerals collection (5,000 samples);
10. The crystallographic collection (1,500 samples);
11. The petrographic collection (1,000 rock samples from Europe).


RARE SPECIMENS IN THE MUSEUM

• extra-large crystals of pyrite, tetrahedrite, aragonite, halite, quartz, gypsum etc.;
• rare mineral species, such as native tellurium, tellurides, some silicates;
• meteorites

EXCHANGES:
Available samples: hydrothermal minerals from Baia Mare area (Romania)
Requested samples: rare species and samples from type-localities in the world

CURATOR: Dr. Dana Pop (dana.pop@ubbcluj.ro)

	Aur pe cuart - Rosia Montana, jud. Alba (Romania) Gold on quartz - Rosia Montana, Alba district (Romania)
	Azurit - Morenci, Arizona (SUA) Azurite - Morenci, Arizona (USA)
	Calcit - Mina Herja, Baia Mare, jud. Maramures (Romania) Calcite - Herja Mine, Baia Mare, Maramures district (Romania)
	Opal de foc - Simav (Turcia) Fire opal - Simav (Turkey)
	Rodocrozit - Mina Cavnic, jud. Maramures (Romania) Rhodochrosite - Cavnic Mine, Maramures district (Romania)

The museum is open to the public from Tuesday to Friday, between 11.00 -14.00 and is located in the main building of the University (1, Kogalniceanu St.).
For (school) groups, visits may be scheduled at convenience, based on prior booking. Pupils must be supervised at all times. Museum Guided Tours (in Romanian, English, and French) are provided free of charge for groups (minimum 6 persons).
Current admission fees: 1.5 RON /pupil, student and 3 RON /adult.
The fees may be subject to further changes, according to the decision of the Senate of theBabes-Bolyai University. Free admission is provided for students of the Faculty of Biology and Geology.
Due to objective reasons, and generally in August, the museum may be closed to the public. For avoiding any inconvenience, planning your visit in advance is strongly recommended:
PH: +40 0264 405 300 EXT. 5121, FAX: +40 0264 591 906
Email: dana.pop@ubbcluj.ro  
http://bioge.ubbcluj.ro/MuzeuMin/