Xinjiang Geological Museum

Xinjiang Geological Museum

Xinjiang Geological Museum is a provincial-level comprehensive geological science museum in China, located on Youhao Road in Urumqi.

The Xinjiang Geological Museum houses over 12,000 mineral, rock, ore, and animal and plant fossil specimens, including more than 100 first-class items. Among them is a crystal measuring 1.7 meters in length, 62 centimeters in diameter, and weighing approximately 780 kilograms; a round natural copper with a diameter of 35 centimeters, thickness of 25 centimeters, weight of 102 kilograms, and a copper content of 99.84%; a 1.2-carat transparent diamond, the first of its kind found in Xinjiang; large beryl and muscovite from the Altay pegmatite deposit; as well as the world-renowned Hetian jade and various tourmalines and gemstones. There are also fossil specimens such as the Urumqi salamander, a complete amphibious vertebrate discovered in China for the first time in the summer of 1983, which dates back 230 million years, and the Suzhousaurus, a vertebrate fossil from 160 million years ago.

The Xinjiang Geological Museum has four exhibition halls: Earth Science, Xinjiang Minerals, Development and Utilization of Xinjiang Mineral Resources, and Geological Specialties, covering a total exhibition area of 2,400 square meters. It displays 115 out of the 121 types of minerals discovered in Xinjiang. The museum also organizes geology summer camps, conducts science outreach activities, and hosts specialized exhibitions.