Instituto Geológico y Minero Español

Museo Geominero


Useful Information

Location: Ríos Rosas Street, 23, 28003 Madrid.
(40.442050, -3.699703)
Open: All year daily 9-14.
Closed 01-JAN, 06-JAN, 24-DEC, 25-DEC, 31-DEC.
[2021]
Fee: free.
[2021]
Classification: SubterraneaMining Museum
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:  
Guided tours: self guided
Photography: allowed without flash
Accessibility: no
Bibliography:  
Address: Instituto Geológico y Minero Español, C. de Ríos Rosas, 23, 28003 Madrid, Tel: +34-913-49-57-00.
Museo Geominero, C. de Ríos Rosas, 23, 28003 Madrid, Tel: +34-913-49-57-59.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
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History

12-JUL-1849 created by Royal Decree with the name of "Commission for the Geological Chart of Madrid and General of the Kingdom".
1910 renamed the Geological Institute of Spain.
1926 museum inaugurated by King Alfonso XIII during the XIV International Geological Congress held in Madrid
1927 reorganized and renamed Geological and Mining Institute of Spain.
1998 building listed as part of Spain’s cultural heritage.

Description

The Instituto Geológico y Minero Español (Geological and Mining Institute of Spain) is a Public Research Organization, attached to the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. The institute has one of the best museums of mining, geology and palaeontology in Spain, the Museo Geominero. But not only the exhibitions are well worth a visit, the museum is also located in a 19th century building with a great The main hall of the museum has four levels with balconies and historic display cabinets, the glass ceiling is Art Nouveau stained glass. Access to the museum is gained via a grand staircase, sculpted in white Macael marble, also with stained glass windows. The museum building was designed by Francisco Javier de Luque and built between 1921 and 1925. It was listed in 1998 as part of Spain’s cultural heritage.

The main topic of the museum are Spain’s geological and mining heritage. The mineral collection contains 5,600 items on display, the permanent exhibition of fossils has over 10,000 items. There is a collection of mineral resources containing a selection of 200 minerals of mining interest. There are unrefined gold from León and unrefined silver from Hiendelaencina (Guadalajara). Also, zinc ore sphalerite from Reocín, Cantabria, and tin ore casiterite from Noya, La Coruña. One display cabinet contains the main industrial minerals, such as talc from Puebla de Lillo (León) and graphite from Alora (Málaga), and explains their most common uses. One is devoted to major energy resources like coal, oil and uranium. There are 27 display cabinets on the second balcony with 2000 minerals from mines that were exhausted decades ago. Examples of phosphorite and apatite from the phosphorus mines at Cáceres, casiterite and wolframite from the mines of Galicia, and caramel-coloured sphalerite from the zinc mines of Áliva (Cantabria). Exceptional are the red cinnabars from Almadén (Ciudad Real), a mercury ore.