CM

IMA Commission on Museums (CM): looking towards the future

MM6 program

Mineralogy museums, more and more attractive to a broader public, have in common rules and aims to preserve scientific and systematic mineralogy.

The mission of the IMA CM, which counts 37 representatives for each national society, all members of IMA, is to foster recognition of mineral science collections as essential scientific, educational and cultural resources, promote support for growth, maintenance and use of collections and exhibits, and finally advance museum practice through cooperation in the development, review and dissemination of information. It keeps the catalogue of type minerals, in close contact with the IMA Commission on New Minerals.

The commission on Museum meets officially alternatively every two years : at the IMA General Meeting and at the International Conference on Mineralogy and Museum( e.g MM 7 in 2012).

Several times a year, a great mineral show occurs: Tucson (Az, USA) in February and München (Germany) in November give opportunity for coming together of curators, university mineralogists, and other people with interests in mineral.Since 2001 a group of mineral museum curators meets at the Munich Show established by the European Branch of curators. A catalogue of type mineral specimens (CTMS) or a complete listing of type mineral and their depositories is now currently available through internet.¡ During the next IMA meeting in Budapest, the CM will devote a special interest to the history of mineralogy, through a special session on Mineral Museums and historical mineralogy". It will also hold business meetings, for the oragnisation of the next MM7 in Freiberg, Germany. If at those meetings, only national representatives can vote, the debates are open to anyone interested in the preservation and attractive display of the Earth’s treasures.