History of the Mineral Collection

Fairgoers at the 1904 World's Fair walking along the concessions thoroughfare.

1904 World's Fair

In 1904, the World’s Fair (also known as the Louisiana Purchase Exposition) opened in the bustling city of St. Louis. Over 19 million attendees glimpsed the fair’s exhibitions from 60+ countries and 43 U.S. states. Many of the minerals displayed are now present in our Mineral Museum today.

Exterior of Norwood hall, a stone building with trees on the right side

Donation to S&T

Following the fair’s conclusion, shipping the large collection of minerals back to their original locations would have been too costly. Therefore, the collection was donated to the care of Dr. George E. Ladd, a Harvard-educated geologist who served as the sixth director of the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy (now Missouri S&T) from 1897 to 1907. The specimens were subsequently moved to the newly built Norwood Hall, where they became part of the school’s growing mineral collection.

The hallway of the S&T Mineral Museum, with a row of brightly-lit display cases containing minerals against the left wall, and informational posters on the right wall.

Over One Century Later...

The collection has now grown to include over four thousand minerals from over 92 countries, thanks to numerous donations. It is now located on the first floor of McNutt Hall. In 2025, the Museum underwent renovations that included replacing some old wooden display cases with modern glass ones and reorganizing many specimens into about a dozen thematic exhibits, creating a more cohesive and visually engaging visitor experience.

Information sourced from mohistory.org, news.mst.edu, and community.mst.edu.