American Museum of Natural History: Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals (AMNH)
2022 Muse Design Award – Gold Award Award: Presented to Ralph Applebaum Associates
“The Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals tell the fascinating story of how the vast diversity of mineral species arose on our planet, how scientists classify and study them, and how we use them for personal adornment, tools, and technology. The galleries feature more than 5,000 specimens from 98 countries, representing over 5,000 stories about how gems and minerals impact all of our daily lives.”
Critical to the storytelling of this extremely varied collection of jewels and gems is a complete re-design, by Ralph Appelbaum Associates, of the beloved 11,000 sq. ft. Guggenheim Hall of Minerals and Morgan Memorial Hall of Gems, last updated in 1976. The striking new exhibit, opened in June 2021, incorporates LSI track systems for ultimate flexibility, along with the latest high performance LED lighting fixtures. Unique fixture designs, such as the LZ Zoom, allowed for a single fixture type to highlight a small glittering gemstone, or wash a huge, wall sized garnet. Don’t miss the opportunity to explore “the world’s jewelry box”, as Allison Mignone refers to the new Halls.
Exhibit Designers:
Exhibit Design: Ralph Applebaum Associates
Exhibit Lighting: Robert Williams, American Museum of Natural History
