It might be the most dazzling room in Pittsburgh. The Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems at Carnegie Museum of Natural History displays more than 1,300 specimens — amethyst cathedrals, sapphires, gold nuggets, meteorites and crystals in every color chemistry allows — arranged like jewels in a vault of light.
The hall’s centerpiece experiences are pure wonder: a calcite that phosphoresces, minerals that fluoresce neon under ultraviolet light, and masterworks of cut gemstones alongside raw crystals pulled from Pennsylvania soil. The Wertz Gallery of Gems and Jewelry adds the artistry — gem carvings and jewelry that show what human hands do with Earth’s patience.
Hillman Hall is at Carnegie Museum of Natural History, 4400 Forbes Avenue in Oakland, included with admission. It’s a favorite first stop for kids — and a last stop for everyone else, who can’t resist one more loop.
