Geology
Our Geology exhibition takes visitors into the world of rocks and minerals, primarily from Greece. It begins with the rock cycle, showing how rocks are formed and transformed over time.
Gallery
Gallery
Info
Rocks are classified according to the origin of their materials:
Igneous
From deep within the Earth’s crust, such as granite.
Sedimentary
From the breakdown of older rocks, such as limestone.
Metamorphic
Formed by the alteration of previous rocks under deeper pressures, such as marble.
Illustrations and diagrams accompany each category, explaining how the rocks were formed and their environmental context. The collections come from geological regions of Greece, including Paxoi, the Ionian Islands, Pindus, Pelagonia, Sub-Pelagonia, Rhodope, and Eastern Greece.
The mineral exhibition starts with the historical minerals of Lavrio and continues with their classification by chemical composition. Each mineral is presented with its key characteristics and properties.
A model and map in the hall provide further information about lithospheric plates, the Earth’s internal structure, volcanism, and earthquakes. Paleogeographic maps trace the evolution of the Mediterranean over the past 76 million years. The exhibition concludes with a relief map of Greece based on satellite imagery.
