Lapworth Museum of Geology
With a National Art Pass you get
Find out more
Part of the University of Birmingham, Lapworth Museum of Geology houses a vast collection of fossils, rocks and minerals, showcasing the Earth's history.
The Lapworth Museum of Geology is one of the principal geological museums in the UK and has the largest and finest geological collection in the Midlands. The collections contain over 250,000 specimens covering most aspects of the geological sciences, including palaeontology, mineralogy and petrology. In addition, there are also important collections of scientific instruments, geological models, zoology, archaeology, and one of the most extensive and important geological archives in the UK.
The museum dates back to 1880 and the foundation of Mason College, the forerunner of the University of Birmingham, and is based in the original grade II* listed Aston Webb building. The collections also include significant material from many influential geologists, scientists and collectors of the 19th and early 20th centuries, including geological pioneer Charles Lapworth, after whom the museum is named.
The museum has a key role in engaging people with diverse set of themes, such as fossils, dinosaurs, evolution, volcanoes, earthquakes, natural hazards, natural resources, evolution, and environmental change.
It has newly re-opened following a £2.7m redevelopment, made possible thanks to a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant of £1.5m and the generous support of University of Birmingham alumni, as well as a number of grant awarding bodies, trusts and foundations.
It was shortlisted for Art Fund Museum of the Year 2017.
Visitor information
Address
University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands, B15 2TT
01214 147294
Opening times
Mon – Fri, 10am – 5pm Sat – Sun, 12pm – 5pm
Visitor information
The more you see, the more we do.
The National Art Pass lets you enjoy free entry to hundreds of museums, galleries and historic places across the UK, while raising money to support them.