Mineralogical Museum, Lavrio

Mineralogical Museum of Lavrion is a museum in Lavrion, Attica, Greece.)
A brief history of the Museum
The Mineralogical Museum of Lavrion was inaugurated in 1986 through the efforts of the “Society for Lavrion region Studies” (the Scientific Society of Lavrion, in Greek “Etaireia Meleton Lavreotikis”, E.ME.L.), a non-profit cultural association founded in 1984 and recognized by the Ministry of Culture with the status of a private legal association (Government Gazette No. B/1401/22.10.2001, No. 54), grouping the scientific community of the city and its surroundings. The Museum’s premises occupy a small industrial building, built in 1875, which constituted initially a part of the industrial ore washing complex of the “Metallurgical Company of Lavrion” (“Société des Usines du Laurium” or “Hellenic Company”, 1873-1927).
The Museum has been dedicated to the memory of Andreas Cordellas, Greek mineralogist (1836-1909), whose scientific work paved the way to the re-exploitation, in the second half of the 19th century, of the ancient mines of Lavrion. His monument, created by the sculptor Irini Chariati (1918-2009), member of E.ME.L., was placed by E.ME.L. at the premises of the Museum and unveiled on May 20, 1990.
Compiling the Collection
E.ME.L. commenced in 1984 the effort to compile its mineralogical collection by addressing requests to local families, who, to their knowledge, had in their possession minerals from the region. The response of the inhabitants was massive and truly touching, as in a rather short period of time, an impressive number of exhibits was gathered, allowing thus the collection to be organized and presented. All collectors usually establish warm ties with the objects they gather, both as a whole but also individually with every piece they cherish, thus making their offerings all the more valuable, as they bequeath a beloved object.