Geological Museum in Warsaw - Discover the World of Fossils and Minerals

Martyna Ługowska

27.02.2025 858

The Geological Museum of the Polish Geological Institute - National Research Institute in Warsaw is an institution with over 100 years of tradition, which plays a key role in geological education and protection of Poland's natural heritage.

History of the Museum

The Geological Museum was founded in 1919 as part of the State Geological Institute, which began systematic geological research in Poland. At that time, the first specimens of minerals, rocks and fossils began to be collected, which over the years grew into the most important geological collection in the country.

In the 1920s and 1930s, the museum's collection began to grow dynamically, and the museum became a center for the exchange of geological knowledge. After World War II, despite the destruction, the museum was rebuilt and the collection was enriched with new specimens. In the 1950s and 1960s, the museum gained a greater reputation, both nationally and internationally.

Collections and exhibitions

The museum's collection includes over 500,000 specimens, including minerals, rocks and fossils. The permanent exhibition has over 3,500 specimens, divided into thematic sections illustrating different fields of geology.

The museum regularly organizes temporary exhibitions that present various aspects of geology and paleontology. It also offers educational programs, including lessons and workshops for children and young people, aimed at popularizing geological knowledge. For those who cannot visit the museum in person, a virtual tour is available, allowing you to visit the exhibition online. The museum also hosts lectures and meetings with scientists, which attract specialists and enthusiasts of geology from all over Poland. Thanks to these events, the museum becomes a meeting place for people interested in research on the history of the Earth and geological processes.

The Geological Museum in Warsaw has many unique exhibits that fascinate visitors with their diversity and scientific value. Here are some examples of the exhibits you can admire in the museum:

1. Skeletons of extinct animals from the Ice Age – these include, among others, the skeleton of a mammoth and a woolly rhinoceros, as well as bones of other prehistoric animals that inhabited the areas of today's Poland during the Pleistocene.

2. Reconstruction of a Dilophosaurus (Dilophosaurus wetherilli) – a dinosaur that lived about 200 million years ago. The reconstruction is one of the main points of the exhibition, showing what this predator of the Jurassic period looked like.

3. Dinosaur tracks – fossilized traces left by dinosaurs in Poland, both herbivorous and predatory dinosaurs. Thanks to these fossils, you can gain insight into the lives of ancient animals.

4. Collection of minerals and rocks – The museum has a rich collection of minerals from various regions of the world, including unique specimens from Poland. Here you can see, among others: iron ore, coal, limestone, as well as exotic minerals such as diamonds and emeralds.

5. Plant fossils – the museum's collection also includes plant fossils from millions of years ago, including petrified wood and leaves.

6. Fossils of prehistoric animals – fossils of fish, ammonites, corals and other sea creatures that lived in ancient oceans.

The Geological Museum in Warsaw also plays an important educational role. Through various educational programs and workshops, the museum tries to convey knowledge about geology in an interesting and accessible way for people of all ages. Education is one of the key elements of the museum's activities, which organizes numerous classes for children, youth and adults. Workshops and thematic lessons allow participants to actively participate in science and discover the secrets of our planet.

Discover the secrets of the Earth

The Geological Museum in Warsaw is a unique institution that has been combining scientific, educational and cultural functions for over a hundred years. Its rich collection, diverse exhibitions and wide educational offer make it a place that will satisfy both geology enthusiasts and people who are just starting their adventure with this field of science. Thanks to the museum, visitors have the opportunity to take a fascinating journey through the history of the Earth and discover the secrets that lie beneath the surface of our planet.

Thanks to its openness to education and popularization of science, the Geological Museum in Warsaw is becoming one of the most important points on the cultural and scientific map of the capital of Poland.