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All Denmark Copenhagen Geological Museum

Geological Museum

Museum on earth sciences featuring a recreation of a famous curiosity cabinet.

Copenhagen, Denmark

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Allison Meier
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Geological Museum   Wikimedia
Engraving of the Museum Wormianum from 1655   Wikimedia
Rosamond Purcell’s recreation of the Museum Wormianum   Jens Astrup
Rosamond Purcell’s recreation of the Museum Wormianum   Birgitte Rubëk
Rosamond Purcell’s recreation of the Museum Wormianum   Birgitte Rubëk
Slice of the Cape York meteorite   Wikimedia
Entrance to the Geological Museum   Wikimedia
Gold!!   katielou106 / Atlas Obscura User
  Johan SWE / Atlas Obscura User
An exhibit in the museum   katielou106 / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Part of the Natural History Museum of Denmark at the University of Copenhagen, the Geological Museum has specimens sourced from collections started in the 1700s, as well as a recreation of Denmark's most famous curiosity cabinet.

The collections include segments of the Cape York meteorites discovered in Greenland, along with around a million invertebrate specimens, fossilized plant material in a paleobotanical collection, and other minerals and paleontology materials. 

Permanently installed since 2011 is an installation by artist Rosamond Purcell that recreates the Danish physician Ole Worm's iconic 17th century curiosity cabinet. Each stuffed bird, taxidermied fish, mounted antler, and natural or manmade oddity has been reproduced in a small room that duplicates that which was seen in the 1655 engraving of Ole Worm's cabinet. 

Related Tags

Wunderkammers Museums And Collections Wonder Cabinets Museums Science Museums Geology Geological Oddities

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Added By

Allison

Edited By

katielou106, Xavixavir, Johan SWE

  • katielou106
  • Xavixavir
  • Johan SWE

Published

March 29, 2013

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  • "Ole Worm Returns: An Iconic 17th Century Curiosity Cabinet is Obsessively Recreated," Atlas Obscura: http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/ole-worm-cabinet/
Geological Museum
Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen
Øster Voldgade 5-7
Copenhagen, 1350
Denmark
55.687188, 12.577108
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Ole Worm Returns: An Iconic 17th Century Curiosity Cabinet is Obsessively Recreated

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