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Address: 848 West Hastings
Street, Downtown Vancouver
Phone:
(604) 689 8700
Opening hours: Daily to 17:00
www.PacificMineralMuseum.org
Pacific
Mineral Museum opened its doors to the public in January
2000. Most of the pieces that you see on display were once
part of a collection that was exhibited at the University
of British Columbia (UBC). When this collection was
quietly put into storage in 1995, the assistant curator
and executives of the mining industry noticed. They felt
that Vancouver needed to share and embrace minerals and
Canada's role in the world as a major mineral producer.
Their vision was a private non-profit museum that would
become self-sustaining, relying on donations, admissions,
membership and sales in its retail shop. In 1997, Pacific
Mineral Museum Society was formed and what you see today
is the summation of that vision, beautiful museum that
makes minerals and geology fun and informative.
The building that houses the Pacific Mineral Museum was
designed and built by English born architects, GLT Sharp
and CJ Thomson, in 1921, for a local financial firm. Using
British Columbian materials, the architects created a red
brick and stone detailed exterior with the upper windows
creating the illusion of another story. A real second
story was added in 1950's. Before becoming home to the
Museum in 1999, the building was used as office and retail
space. During renovations, it was discovered that the
building's upper floor had two hanging ceilings that, when
removed, revealed the ornate original ceiling that you see
restored today. Also found again was a vault door used
when the building was a financial firm. This door is now
used in the Museum's "vault", a gallery that
shows valuable gems and precious metals.
In the one hour or so that it takes to tour the Pacific
Mineral Museum, you'll journey back to the edge of time,
before the mountains of British Columbia were found or the
continents shaped as we know them today. A history
involving these incredible forces and processes, and the
relationships humans have made with the mineral world
await the visitor to the Pacific Mineral Museum. Among the
highlights of the museum collection are:
- Meteorites from the far reaches of outer space,
- A vault that holds a king's ransom of gold, silver and
gems from around the world,
- The fantastic story of how the Earth's mineral wealth
was created and samples of the best mineral specimens from
the around world,
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An ever-changing display area! Fossils, gemstones or
minerals are being showcased in the special display area.
Pacific Mineral Museum Shop has the finest selection of
'connoisseur' mineral specimens available in Vancouver. It
also offers a wide selection of mineral related gifts,
jewelry, toys and books.
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