Museum of Practical Geology
The entrance to the Museum of Practical Geology is located on Jermyn Street, running parallel to Piccadilly on the South. Behind this handsome, if slightly unassuming, façade, one of the finest collections of British fossils, geological models, etc. awaits the visitor.
Upon entering the hall, one cannot help but be surprised by the speciousness of the museum which makes use of the entire area between Piccadilly and Jermyn Street – dimensions which could not be guessed from the outside. The Hall is lined by busts of the founding fathers of geological science and large exhibits can be admired within the space. Specimens of virtually every kind of stone are displayed in attractive cases. On the First Floor, one object not to be missed is the geological model of London and its surroundings. The visitor will also find models of famous diamonds and nuggets on this floor, while the gallery around the hall contains as a splendid assemblage of fossils – the finest collection in existence, it is claimed.
Purposely erected in 1850 and opened by His Royal Highness Prince Albert the following year, the building also houses the library and office of the Geological Survey, as well as the Mining Records Office, and the Royal School of Mines. Despite its ripe age of half a century, the Museum of Practical Geology is still of high quality and should still be on every itinerary of any visitor to the West End, particularly of those evincing an interest in the science of geology. Regular lectures are held at the Museum, many of which are accessible to the general public. The two Turkish bath establishments in the same street do no damage to the museum’s reputation in any way.
Admission to the museum is free. Mondays and Saturdays 10am to 10pm; Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 10am to 5pm (November – February 10am to 4pm). Not open Fridays. Closed from 10th August to 10th September.
The Museum's Great Hall
The simple facade of the Museum of Practical Geology, behind which geological treasures await the visitor
More information on West End museums can be found in Recreation: Museums.
A Lecture at the Museum
The Geological Museum, as the Museum of Practical Geology is now known, is the oldest single science museum in the world. The museum’s collection moved to Exhibition Road in South Kensington in 1935 and is now part of the Natural History Museum, and the former Geological Museum galleries now form the Red Zone in the east part of the Museum. The building itself has disappeared too - a Waterstones occupies the site today.
