Teck Suite of Galleries and Light & Stone: Gems from the Collection of Michael Scott is now open at the Royal Ontario Museum. This by far is my favouite collection. I had to be kicked out of the gallery when it was over because I was wandering around gawking so much.
Teck Suite of Galleries: Earth’s Treasures showcases the Royal Ontario Museum’s exceptional specimens of minerals, gems, rocks and meteorites, a collection among the finest in North America. The 6,900 square-foot combined gallery space fills the length of the Weston Family Wing on Level 2 and is divided into the Vale Inco Limited Gallery of Minerals, the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame Gallery and the Gallery of Gems and Gold. The fascinating displays are contextualized and illuminated by over 40 interactive touch stations, compelling video exhibits and engrossing information on Canada’s mining industry.
The Vale Inco Limited Gallery of Minerals presents approximately 2,300 minerals, rocks and meteorites, exploring such areas as the classification of minerals, their physical and scientific properties, causes of mineral colour and the geological environments necessary for spectacular mineral growth. This gallery features the ROM’s meteorite collection, including a 1.1 kilogram lunar specimen, one of the biggest lunar meteorites on display in the world. The Canadian Mining Hall of Fame Gallery showcases the biographies and personal stories of 130 inductees through a fully bilingual, interactive video wall that explains how mining touches every part of our lives.
The gallery of minerals is stunning, period. The colours and textures of the specimens is a feast for the eyes. The interactive touch screens are great and bring the information out of the cases and to your fingertips.
The Gallery of Gems and Gold presents as its inaugural exhibition Light & Stone: Gems from the Collection of Michael Scott. This special exhibition features approximately 200 stunning jewellery pieces, gemstones cut and unset, as well as modern interpretations of gemstones as art. Light & Stone is on display for a one-year period and showcases the private gem collection of Michael M. Scott, a collection with few rivals in the world outside of the royal families.
Here is a slideshow of images I took, but it doesn’t even come close to experiencing it in person. The collections are breath taking if you love shiny, colourful things and the wonders of nature.