The Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth displays one of the most outstanding collections of geological specimens ever displayed in an exhibition hall. Between 1996 and 1998, Museum teams embarked on dozens of reconnaissance trips and 28 acquisition expeditions to distant locations, from Indonesian volcanoes to the Sahara Desert in West Africa. Each trip included working with local experts to uncover the most geologically significant rocks. Every specimen and model was chosen to illustrate an important aspect of Earth's dynamic story.
To tell the most significant stories of Earth, from its early evolution to the earthquakes and storms we encounter today, the 8,830-square-foot Hall is organized into exhibition zones based on five major questions.
Four years in the making, HoPE features 168 rock specimens and 11 full-scale models of classic outcroppings from 25 countries — including Australia, Indonesia, Italy, Kazakhstan, Mauritania, Scotland, Switzerland, and Venezuela — and five ocean floor regions, as well as an array of specially created videos and computer interactives that allow visitors to both explore geologic time and gain an understanding of the methods scientists use to study vast Earth systems.