This collection contains approximately 16,000 fossils, rocks, minerals and gemstones. The earth sciences collection contains fossils and minerals that tell the story of the Midlands, stretching back hundreds of millions of years. The collection of gemstones is very comprehensive and shows the importance of the jewellery trade to the history of Birmingham.

Includes:

• Triceratops skull, a rare example of an American dinosaur in a British museum

• the 3-dimensionally preserved skeleton of the ichthyosaur Protoichthyosaurus prostaxalis

• the almost complete fossil crocodile, Metriorhynchus

• Matthew Boulton’s mineral collection, a rare example of an intact 18^th century mineral collection, made more significant by his importance in the history of Birmingham.