Earth Sciences Department: Intro / Staff

General Information / History >
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Basic information about the scientific collections of the NMBE and about research projects involving museum staff.

People
Head of Department: Dr. Beda Hofmann >

Section Mineralogy-Petrography
Curator: Dr. Beda Hofmann
Co-workers: Peter Vollenweider (technical & collection assistant, database); Maria Lauper (secretary, collection); Prof. Dr. A. Stalder (former head of department)

Section Paleontology
Curator: Dr. Ursula Menkveld-Gfeller
Co-workers: Bernhard Hostettler (geoscientific preparator), Dr. Thérèse Pfister (research assistant), Yvonne Kranz (database assistant)

Main fields of interest and specialization
The NMBE earth science collections are specialized in specific areas of mineralogy-petrography and paleontology. The main fields of interest for sampling and acquisition in the fields of mineralogy and paleontology are:

Mineralogy specialization:
- Swiss minerals (alpinotype minerals)
- ores from Switzerland (+ worldwide localities)
- diamond-related materials (kimberlites, mantle xenoliths)
- minerals and rocks related to biogenic mineral formation
- meteorites and impactites

Paleontology specialization:
- regional: fossils from the Canton of Bern, Switzerland: Jura mountains, Alps and Molasse basin
- stratigraphic: Burdigalian (Upper Marine Molasse) of Switzerland
- stratigraphic: Alpine Paleogene (pre-flysch-Sediments)

Access to Earth Science collections and sample requests
Materials from the earth science collections may be requested for research and educational purposes. Sample requests should be submitted by letter or e-mail with a short description of the intended use.
For mineralogy-petrology contact
For paleontology contact
  Earth_science_collections

Further Information (Links)
General Information, history of the Earth Sciences Department >
Popular publications >
Geoscientific preparation >
Mineralogy-petrography collections >
Paleontology collections >
Research >
Research publications >

News: Recent acquisitions and finds
Orthacanthus senckenbergianus (shark), female, Permian (about 280 mio. years old). The specimen measures 112 cm and was discovered 1984 in Niederkirchen, Germany. Donated by the Museumsverein (Friends of the Museum) in 2001.

Specimen of native gold (18x27 cm) from the famous dicovery in 2000 in the Surselva, Graubünden (Grisons), Eastern Switzerland. Sample donated to the Museum by the Museumsverein (Friends of the Museums) in 2001.

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