Crystalline Order: How the Beirut Mineral Museum Defies National Neglect
The MIM's (Mineral Museum Beirut) mineral collection—over 2,000 specimens from 70 countries—is more than a visual feast. It’s a curated symphony of colour, geometry, and natural architecture. The beauty of the crystals made without human intervention across years of metamorphic processes necessitates their extraction to be appreciated by all. This is art created through purely geological means, symbolizing Earth’s inner poetry, separate from the hands of humankind. If minerals are not harvested, they will be destroyed either way through the continuation of geological processes.
The founder and curator of the museum, Salim Edde, bought most of the pieces himself before deciding to display them indefinitely for all to enjoy. According to his vision, the museum’s layout follows both scientific classification and artistic sensibility, inviting visitors to marvel at the intricate beauty of the minerals and their scientific makeup. By offering immersive displays and educational programming, the museum serves as a hub for geological innovation and public science literacy—advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure.
During my interview with Salim Edde, I asked about some of the minerals and their historical importance for civilization, which he was happy to illustrate for me. For example, the discovery of bronze alloy in ancient civilizations paved the way for the Bronze Age, utilizing metals for tools and weapons, revolutionizing agriculture and fostering the creation of complex societies. In fact, the discovery of bronze is itself a testament to the historical evolution of civilization: since copper and tin – the minerals needed to make bronze – are rarely found in the same location, international commerce brought them together, for example, via trade routes between Phoenicia and the British Isles.
The museum inspires both scientific and historical curiosity, demonstrating the innovation catapulted through the use of minerals. He also explained the various uses of the many minerals in many crucial industries, showcasing not only the beauty but also the utility of the minerals displayed. For example, selenite gemstone, which I purchased a small piece of in the gift shop for only $6, in its mineral form, gypsum, is used as plaster for casts and drywall, while, perhaps more interestingly, ourinite from the Congo (containing uranium) was used for the Manhattan Project that tested the world’s first atomic weapons.
Large chunks of oursinite (left) and gypsum (right), both part of the MIM Museum collection. Images courtesy of MIM website.
In a brilliant display of molecular conformity, the molecules of the crystals align themselves to create formations of absolute perfection, impossible to completely understand. This section of the MIM website – written by Salim Edde himself – demonstrates the molecular complexity of these crystals, using a single grain of salt as an example:
“…it is a cube consisting of a perfect alignment of 1,770,000 sodium atoms separated by as many atoms of chlorine in identical fashion in all three directions. That makes a total of 44 quintillion atoms in perfect alignment! With a little imagination, the edge of this cube is the equivalent of 3.5 million soldiers marching in perfect rank and file…stretching from the Earth to the moon. Not a single head rises above those of his comrades.”
The description portrays a dedication to their structure, a flawless equilibrium between the millions of molecules, creating a display of absolute conformity that starkly contrasts their location. It fosters scientific curiosity and innovation by showcasing the natural geometry and formation processes of crystals.
When I asked whether he believes in the spiritual or energetic properties of any minerals, he humorously responded: “I think it’s just that: a belief. When people ask me this I always say, ‘if minerals emitted any powers, I would be Superman by now.” Through its celebration of Earth’s crystalline wonders, the museum inspires respect for terrestrial ecosystems and responsible stewardship of natural resources.
The museum is a quiet act of defiance against the erosion of public infrastructure and cultural investment in Lebanon. The steady increase in privatization has led to shrinking public spaces, forcing social gatherings based on a largely commercial basis, with prices that sideline a large chunk of the population unable to afford the expensive amenities. Public parks, communal gardens, libraries, cultural centers, and transportation systems—once spaces of shared experience—have either deteriorated or become inaccessible due to chronic underfunding, privatization, or political gridlock. People are funnelled into cafes, malls and private clubs that mediate access based on implicit social codes, class and geography.
Lebanon’s coastline, with all its touristic and environmental potential, has become overtaken by private interests; luxury hotels and beaches – unaffordable for most of the population – litter the coastline and degrade the natural landscape, despite the official status of the coastline as a public space. Even more tragically, the reconstruction of downtown Beirut after the civil war led to the destruction of old traditional streets and hundreds of evictions as real estate prices skyrocketed to attract real estate investors, marginalizing public spaces for profit.
In a country grappling with economic collapse, political paralysis, and widespread privatization, the museum stands as a rare example of private initiative without backing from political institutions, granting independence that transcends Lebanon’s entrenched clientelist structures and filling the void left by state neglect.