MajorsApr 02, 2026
Pandora Opens New Canadian Distribution Center Amid Tariff ConcernsThe new facility was also designed to better serve its growing customer base in Canada.
Events & AwardsNov 03, 2020
New York’s AMNH Sets Open Date for Its New Gem, Mineral Halls
The renovated 11,000-square-foot halls feature about 5,000 specimens and, for the first time, a temporary exhibition space.
An AMNH exhibition staff member installs specimens in the new Allison and Roberto Halls of Gems and Minerals. (Photo credit: D. Finnin/ AMNH)
New York—The American Museum of Natural History gave those anxiously awaiting the opening of its renovated gem and mineral halls some good news: a date has been set.
The museum’s new Allison and Roberto Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals are slated to open Feb. 17, 2021.
The 11,000-square-foot halls feature about 5,000 specimens from 95 countries.
They will showcase recently acquired specimens, like a 3,000-pound block of iridescent green and blue labradorite, two amethyst geodes among the world’s largest at 9 and 12 feet tall, and a slice of a fossilized tree called a metasequoia that lived between 35 and 33 million years ago.
They will also have, of course, pieces that have proved to be visitor favorites, like the “Singing Stone,” a big block of blue azurite and green malachite first exhibited at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago, and legendary gems like the 563-carat “Star of India” sapphire and 632-carat “Patricia Emerald.”
Throughout, the hall will explain to visitors how mineral diversity came about, the environments in which minerals form, how scientists classify them and how they have been used throughout history for personal adornment, tools, and technology.
“Generations of New Yorkers have loved the museum’s mineral and gem halls, storing up memories of family visits and marveling at the glamorous displays of utterly spectacular minerals and gems, while learning about the latest scientific explanations for their formation,” said Ellen V. Futter, President of the American Museum of Natural History.
“Now, as New York continues to endure the many challenges posed by COVID-19, we are proud to be among the first major new museum spaces to open. These magnificent halls remain true to the traditions that New Yorkers cherish while signaling the reawakening of the entire city.”
The new halls also will have, for the first time, a temporary exhibition space—the Melissa and Keith Meister Gallery—which will open with “Beautiful Creatures,” highlighting jewels inspired by animals from both storied jewelry houses and contemporary designers.
This snake necklace from American designer Joel Arthur Rosenthal will be on display in “Beautiful Creatures” in a new temporary exhibition space in American Museum of Natural History’s renovated gem and mineral halls. Created in 1990, JAR’s piece features pave-set sapphires, amethysts and diamonds in silver and gold. (Photo credit: FD Gallery)
The exhibition pieces on view, curated by jewelry historian Marion Fasel, range in date from the mid-19th century to the present.
The Halls of Gems and Minerals are named for Roberto and Allison Mignone, long-time supporters and volunteers, while the new temporary exhibition space is named for Melissa and Keith Meister, the latter of whom is a museum trustee.
They are curated by George E. Harlow, curator in the Museum’s Division of Physical Sciences, and designed by Ralph Appelbaum Associates along with the American Museum of Natural History’s Exhibition Department under the direction of Lauri Halderman, vice president for exhibition.
AMNH renovated the halls as part of the initiatives coinciding with its 150th anniversary. The projects will culminate in the opening of the Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation, a new facility housing galleries, education spaces, and collections.
More on Events & Awards
The Latest
TrendsApr 02, 2026
Michelle Yeoh Fronts New Mikimoto Campaign The campaign is a tribute to the year 1893, when Kokichi Mikimoto created the world’s first cultured pearl.
GradingApr 02, 2026
GIA Debuts New Campus in TaiwanIt is the only GIA school to offer the GIA Graduate Gemologist program in Chinese.
Brought to you by
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessYou deserve to know what you are selling–to protect your customers as well as your business and your reputation.
MajorsApr 02, 2026
DCA Launches ‘Second Spark’ Workforce InitiativeThe initiative connects veterans and parents returning to the workforce with careers in jewelry retail.
Weekly QuizApr 02, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
MajorsApr 02, 2026
Hoover & Strong Names New National Sales RepresentativeThe wholesale manufacturer and precious metals refiner has appointed Michael Angelo as its new national sales representative.
MajorsApr 01, 2026
Foundrae Sues Pandora for Allegedly Copying Its Medallion DesignsFoundrae also accused the jewelry giant of copying its mood board style of marketing.
Brought to you by
Is This You? Every Jeweler Has This Problem; We Have the Solution.Every jeweler faces the same challenge: helping customers protect what they love. Here’s the solution designed for today’s jewelry business.
AuctionsApr 01, 2026
John Jacob Astor IV’s Titanic Pocket Watch Heads to AuctionA Patek Philippe for Tiffany & Co. timepiece owned by the American businessman who died on the Titanic will be offered at Freeman's Chicago.
SurveysApr 01, 2026
Consumers’ Outlook Improves Again in MarchThe Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index edged up, with optimism about the present outweighing worries about the future.
IndependentsApr 01, 2026
Zachary’s Jewelers’ Constance Polamalu to Release Children’s BookThe retailer’s Zach Bear gift comes to life in “Zach Bear and the Window Necklace,” which centers on curiosity, bravery, and helping.
ColumnistsMar 31, 2026
Q1 Clues That Reveal Where Your Jewelry Store’s Sales Are Heading These customer behavior patterns say a lot about how successful your jewelry store is going to be this year, Emmanuel Raheb writes.
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Mejuri Adds Silver to ‘Puzzle’ CollectionMejuri’s popular collection of 18-karat yellow gold vermeil rings debuted in sterling silver alongside new “Puzzle” slider charms.
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Buddha Mama, Ashley Longshore to Host Pop-Up in DallasThe Miami-based jewelry brand and the NYC-based artist will be in Dallas from April 9-11.
SourcingMar 31, 2026
NDC Designates April 8 as 'World Diamond Day'The initiative invites those in the industry to share stories on social media highlighting the meaning and impact of natural diamonds.
SourcingMar 31, 2026
GIA VP Jillian Wolk to Take Over at Tracr Wolk’s first day on the job as CEO of Tracr, De Beers Group’s blockchain platform, will be May 1.
EditorsMar 30, 2026
Tom Moses Looks Back on His Decades at GIA Moses, who will leave the lab in May after nearly 50 years, discusses his start in the business, gemstones that stand out, and what’s next.
TrendsMar 30, 2026
Oscar Heyman Debuts First Spring CatalogThe new catalog, which showcases 35 one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry, is a compliment to the company’s popular holiday catalog.
SourcingMar 30, 2026
Rio Tinto Hauls Last Load from DiavikProduction has ceased at the Canadian diamond mine, which has yielded more than 150 million carats of rough diamonds in its 23-year run.
MajorsMar 30, 2026
Tanishq Opens First New England LocationThe store opening marks the 10th United States location for the India-based jewelry retailer.
MajorsMar 27, 2026
Saks Global Has Changed Its Mind About Closing These 3 StoresTwo Saks Fifth Avenue locations, one in Florida and one in California, and one Neiman Marcus store are off the chopping block.
IndependentsMar 27, 2026
Jimmy West, Longtime LJG Executive Director, Dies at 72West, who started in the art department at the Leading Jewelers Guild in 1979, is remembered for his patience, kindness, and dedication.
CollectionsMar 27, 2026
Itä’s ‘Yarí Whirl’ Ring Tells Every Side of the StoryIn the “Tesoro” version of the ring, our Piece of the Week, each side of the gold hexagonal nugget has a unique colored gemstone design.
WatchesMar 26, 2026
Q&A: Citizen Watch America President Jeffrey Cohen on Eco-Drive’s 50th AnniversaryCohen discusses the evolution of Citizen’s light-powered technology, the brand’s cross-generational appeal, and tariffs.
IndependentsMar 26, 2026
Peter Smith Pens Book on Human Behavior in Sales“Essentially Human: On Sales and Salespeople" reveals the underlying human traits and behaviors of the most successful sales professionals.
CollectionsMar 26, 2026
Lionheart Celebrates 13 Years of ‘Cassandane’The collection features symbols of love, luck, and light, based on the story of Queen Cassandane and Cyrus the Great of Persia.
Events & AwardsMar 26, 2026
JA Still Accepting Entries for 2026 CASE AwardsThe deadline for entries in the jewelry design competition has been extended to April 3.
