Rocas, minerales y fósiles: las colecciones geológicas de museos públicos Rocks, minerals and fossils: the geological collections of public museums

Geological collections preserved in public museums consist of rocks, minerals and fossils and they also include geological elements modified by men and some anthropic products related with geology. Institutions holding these collections are Natural History and Natural Science museums (geological and biological collections) and thematic museums (geological collections). In Spain there are several public Natural History museums both nationally and provincially, although more numerous are geological museums or specifically museums dedicated to palaeontology, mineralogy and petrology. Most spanish universities linked to geology have thematic museums focused on education. The functions of museums related with the treatment of geological collections are conservation (preventive and interventional), management and documentation (label, inventory and catalogue), education (exhibition and educational activities) and research (scientific and historical).