Itinerary edited by UNIVERSITY OF MODENA AND R. EMILIA 
"Racconti di Pietra" edition 2012-2013.
Gemma 1786 University Museum
Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences
The history of Gemma Museum
The history of “Gemma 1786″ (“Gem 1786”), Este Mineralogical and Geological Museum of the Department of Earth Sciences of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, begins in the Eighteenth century when the Duke Francesco III of Este decides to send a professor on the Modena hills with the aim to collect samples “to create a Homeland Museum” dedicated mainly to the mineral reign.
The collections of this Museum, that in 1846 Pietro Doderlein described as “Gem, among the most beautiful and munificent institutions of H.R.H. Francesco IV”, have been enlarged during the time thanks to donations, purchases and legacies but moreover thanks to the constant work of academics of the Department during numerous research campaigns also in far regions like Greenland, Brazil, Africa, Australia, Antarctica.
Starting from 2005 the Mineralogical and Geological Este Museum has adopted the new denomination “Gemma 1786”, giving birth to a new project of valorization and divulgation of the geological heritage of the Department.
