Hello everyone,
A few weeks ago when we've got to visit some of the northern areas in Romania, we stopped for a quick visit in Baia Mare, where the Museum of Mineralogy is located.
To be honest, Caleb didnt see or visit too many of this kind of places like science centers, muzeums, libraries or educational exhibitions. I mean, there were a few but too little to count them. However, for everything there's a start, right?
And now it's perfect timing for it.
I thought this would be educational and interesting for an almost six years old child.
And btw, I thought to share our experience in the community because I wanted to insist on the facts that I noticed to Caleb, while visiting.
(else, maybe this content could have been posted in a different community).
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But first, here's a little bit about this muzeum.
The Baia Mare Mineralogy Museum hosts the most valuable regional mineralogical collection in Europe and that would be about 19,000 samples from non-ferrous metal deposits in the Oaș-Gutâi-Țibleș Mountains area, Romania only.
In the museum, there are exposed about 1000 pieces.
I found a precise source about the history of the museum and I thought it would be nice to attach it here, next to my photos.
Baia Mare, Mineralogical Museum
The year 1989 marked the birth of the Mineralogy Museum in Baia Mare. The mineral collection began to form in 1969 around a mineral core consisting of 1502 indeterminate and uninventory exhibits, collected and stored for many years in a warehouse of the Maramureș County Museum.
Gradually, through the sustained effort of some kind people and many hours spent underground, through purchases and donations, the collection increased in 1975, exceeding 3000 samples. In 1976 the section was established within the Maramures County Museum. After another 10 years, in 1985 the number of samples exceeded 14000.
Development Department allowed its transformation into a museum. After more locations in 1988 was moved to the current location. [...] The exhibits come from areas: Cavnic Herja, Baia Sprie, Băiuț, Ilba, Sasar Dniester Baia Borsa and Beds.
The current building of the museum hosts exhibition of 900 square meters, the hall for temporary exhibitions, warehouses and administrative offices. Mineralogy Museum Baia Mare has several copies of special minerereuri. Because mineralogical interest in heritage, the museum organized a series of exhibitions in the country and abroad.
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Anyways, about our experience here.
We first arrived and bought the tickets. Caleb didnt know what to expect but when we entered the room his eyes got very wide open. 😊🙀
He was impressed with everything, starting with the big hall room and then all the furniture exposed in a different way compared with what he saw before. It felt like an invitation to learning.
Also all the rocks and minerals exposed looked very interesting.
There was enough information "to take on board", even on the walls. There were articles from ages ago, newspaper materials, images and portraits of the people who worked here or have had a big influence over this place.
I cant say Caleb have had the patience to read all that, No. I just mentioned some facts I found interestinf myself or general stuff to know about the museum.
This is like a map of the mountains from where the minerals were extracted. I really loved this one and also Caleb enjoyed taking a look at it.
We spoke about what Mineralogy is and what minerals are, their compozition, color, form or how are they formed; We also read about what Crystals are, or about the sedimentary rocks and the fact they're the most variable and spreades within the Earth crust.
And a lot more things.
We've read all these informations from the educational panels specific to each exhibition and tried to not make it boring.
A few words here and then while observing the rocks was enough for now.
Caleb was impressed with some minerals which were exposed there and he recognized some of the terms like rubins, crystals, gold, ametyhst, cupper or rubin.
He asked some questions too.
We loved to see the rocks and identify them on the panels. That was fun to observe and even Caleb enjoyed it very much.
I can't quantify how much information he memorized but overall, it wasnt about that.
It was about taking him into a place like this, where we can learn about something. I wanted him to get used to visit this type of place and enjoy the educational material.
I wanted him to know he can find ways to learn in other spaces then home or school. And I wanted him to really like it. Thats why, we didnt stay too much. But it was enough to fulfull my goal.
Very important also. Children need to know how to behave in a particular place like this, respect others, respect the exhibition, stay quiet as normal as possible and definitely observe and not touch everything.
But even so, in the end, he got to run a little through the wide hall ways and us looking for him, so he had some fun. Dont worry, we didnt disturb anyone and we make sure to be quiet.
Overall, I think he had a good felling about his vizit to the muzeum.
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Train Exhibition
In the museum, there are exposed different small exhibitions that interchange with time.
Now it was a lovely Train Exhibition, all about the trains and mostly, the trains in Romania.
There was displayed clear and relevant information about the railway system in Romanian history and up to the present.
And a wide presentation of the different types of trains and locomotives.
I didnt take too many photos because my battery was very low but I can only say Caleb was supper happy seeing this.
I loved it too, to be honest!
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Can't wait to see more museums together with my son and I'll make sure to visit whatever we can when going in other cities where many times, there's surely something we can find.
Also, I'm already informed about different exhibitions that happen locally and going everytime we can.
Thank you guys for reading, hope u enjoyed it!
Have a lovely day,
Missseli 💓