Superlatives don’t do justice to the beauty of David Friend Hall and the Yale Peabody Museum’s mineral galleries. One hundred and seventy-six world-class mineral specimens adorn the Hall, a smaller adjacent gallery, and two more display cases just outside.
“Since we reopened in March, I’ve heard enormous anticipation from visitors about our gem and mineral collection. David Friend Hall and the surrounding galleries exhibit some of the rarest and most extraordinary specimens in the world. This hall inspired us rethink the entire museum when it first opened years ago. Now, with new exhibits and features, it looks more stunning than ever,” said David Skelly, Director of the Yale Peabody Museum.
“I envisioned a mineral gallery for Yale designed to inspire rather than lecture. So, we chose specimens that are jaw-droppingly beautiful, the room is subtly lit so that the specimens themselves shine, and there is a minimum of descriptive labelling. I want visitors to leave this hall overwhelmed by the beauty of what they have seen and anxious to go home and learn more, or even start collecting minerals themselves,” philanthropist David Friend said.
Among the many donors and lenders who contributed to the project, the Yampol Family and The Mineral Trust loaned over 200 specimens to the Museum, representing a part of one of the best private collections in the world.
