Location: Level 1
Got your hard hat? In Coors Mineral Hall, follow the mine shaft
into a Mexican silver mine, where a cavern glistens with milky
white gypsum crystals and stalactites. Then enter Colorado's own
Sweet Home Mine to discover a six-foot wall of blood-red
rhodochrosite crystals.
Colorado was founded on mining, and in the historical mining
section you'll see more local finds, like Tom's Baby, an
eight-pound nugget of crystallized gold unearthed in Breckenridge
in 1887.
You'll also uncover Brazilian topaz, California watermelon
tourmaline, Australian opals, intense blue azurite, green
malachite, four-inch zeolite needle sprays from India, and hundreds
of other dazzling specimens from around the world. Hands-on
activities and videos help young explorers learn about mineral
characteristics and how minerals form.
Konovalenko Gem
Sculptures
Gold prospectors, musicians, sauna and ice bathers. These
characters and more inhabit the world of master carver Vasily
Konovalenko. The Denver Museum of Nature & Science is home to
the largest collection of gem carvings outside of Moscow by Russian
expatriate Vasily Konovalenko. It is only such public collection
and display in the Americas.
The intricately detailed carvings, capturing scenes from Russian
folklife, are composed from an extensive palette of colorful
gemstone materials. Sixteen of Konovalenko's sculptures are on
exhibit at the Museum.
For Educators
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