Short Description
The Natural History Museum of Vienna owns one of the largest meteorite collections in the world. With currently (March 2026) nearly 10,800 catalogued objects (which represent about 2,675 different meteorites), it lies in third place, behind the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. (USA), and the National Institute of Polar Research in Tokyo (Japan) which has one of the largest collection of meteorites from Antarctica.
The Hall 5 of the Natural History Museum contains the largest meteorite display in the world. Currently, there are about 1,100 meteorites on display.
Contact Person
Dr. Andrea Patzer
Research Services
Determination of meteorites and impactites possible on request, depending on various conditions (https://www.nhm.at/forschung/mineralogie__petrographie/expertisen_und_bestimmungen).
Help concerning historical research.
Methods & Expertise for Research Infrastructure
The employees of the department of mineralogy and petrography have expertise in the determination of meteorites and impactites. A large variety of analytical methods are used. They also have special expertise in the historical aspects of meteorites and in meteorite impact craters.
Allocation to research infrastructure
Department of Mineralogy and Petrography - Natural History Museum Vienna