Rock on at this exhibition in Mumbai

(From right to left) Azurite and Pyrite, two different types of rocks

An exhibition at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS) will give visitors a peek into what lies below the ground that we walk on. It's called On the Rocks and offers insight into the different layers that exist below the earth's crust, such as rocks, minerals and fossils. The exhibition has been curated by the students of CSMVS's post-graduate diploma course in museology and conservation and comprises artifacts in the possession of the museum's natural history section.

Roxanne Godinha, one of the PG Diploma students, tells us, "What we are trying to show with the exhibition is that the earth is divided into different layers, and you'll find various kinds of rocks, minerals and fossils in each one. But they are all inter-connected in some way, and we want to educate the lay person about the same."

She adds that the walkthrough starts with the section on rocks, where the utilities of, say, metamorphic or sedimentary rocks are explained via illustrations. Godinha says, "We have pictures of different monuments that are made up of certain types of rocks. The Taj Mahal in Agra, for example, is made of marble, which is a type of metamorphic rock. Then, under minerals, we are showing you how things like jade, for instance, is used in jewellery. The exhibition also shows the alternative types and formations of fossils."

Till: April 10, 10.15 am to 6 pm
On: Chhatrapati Shivaji Vastu Sangrahalaya, 159-161, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Kala Ghoda, Fort.
Call: 22844519
Cost: Normal museum entry fees apply

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