Museums & Collections

The School houses an number of important collections, which are used to support teaching and learning within the University and may also be accessed by external researchers.  These include:

  • the nationally renowned Lapworth Museum, established by Charles Lapworth, the first Professor of Geology at Mason College, the forerunner of the University of Birmingham.  The Museum contains an extensive collection rocks, fossils and minerals, as well as large collections of early geological maps, equipment, models and photographic material.  The Museum is open to the public and provides for group visits for schools and colleges.  Further details are available from the Museum web site or by contacting the Museum Curator.
  • the School Map Library hosts a wide-ranging collection of sheet maps, atlases and cartographic-related books.  Both present day and historical maps, from the UK and overseas, are represented in the collection.  For further information on the resources and services of the Map Library, contact the Map Curator.
  • the MRG Conzen collection, which comprises a collection of city plans, photographs and maps from the library of Professor MRG Conzen, a leading authority on urban form.  The collection was donated to the School by Professor Conzen's son in 2000.  The collection is available for consultation by contacting Professor JWR Whitehand.
  • the Archives of the Watt Committee on Energy, a unique collection of books, papers and press cuttings spanning 20 years of energy technology. The collection is held by the Centre for Environmental Research and Training.