National Earth Science Museum

Open on weekdays 8:00-13:00 and 14:00 to 17:00 (No entrance fee is charged) The National Earth Science Museum of the Geological Survey of Namibia is the primary repository of geological specimens in Namibia and houses a large collection of rocks, minerals and fossils. The economic mineral deposits of Namibia are represented by displays of various mines and exploration prospects:
NamDeb Diamond Mining Tsumeb Polymettalic Deposit Kombat Copper / Lead / Silver Rössing Alaskite Uranium Navachab Skarn Gold Otjihase Copper / Pyrite Rosh Pinah Lead / Zinc Okoruso Fluospar
The world famous Tsumeb polymettalic ore body hosts some 226 minerals, 40 of which are unique to Tsumeb. Following the closure of the mine in 1996 and the liquidation of the parent company in 1998, the Tsumeb collection was donated to the nation by Gold Fields Namibia Limited and forms the basis of an outstanding mineral collection that also includes a variety of semi-precious stones found in Namibia. Currently the Tsumeb mine is run by Ongopolo Mining and Processing Limited.
The mineral displays illustrate the varied and often unknown uses in various situations in ourdaily lives, by showing the raw minerals with the products produced with them. These include: Geology in the kitchen Geology in the bathroom The use of minerals in cars	Geology in the kitchen
A display on hydrocarbon exploration gives impractive the 2.0 trillion cubic feet Kudu Gas Fields off-shore in Southern Namibia.
The most extensive meteorite shower on earth is found in southern Namibia near the village of Gibeon. The meteorites are classified as octaherites and consist entirely of taenite and kamacite displaying the classical Widmanstatten structure of undergrowth. A recorded total of 77 pieces have been found to date and as they have almost identical compositions they are thought to have been part of one large 15 ton body.	Meteor fragments at the National Earth Science Museum
The largest fragment weighs 650kg and is housed in the South African Museum in Cape Town. Some 33 fragments are exhibited in Windhoek's Post Street Mall as the "Gibeon Meteorite Fountain" and range from 195kg to 555kg. Smaller fragments are on display in the National Earth Science Museum at the Geological Survey in Windhoek. Unfortunately, illegal removal of meteorite pieces has deprived Namibia of this important part of her natural heritage. The museum also houses a wide variety of Namibian fossils ranging in age from 750 million years ago to recent.
A replica of Massospondylus, a prosauropod dinosaur that lived 200 million years ago is also on display. Its fossilized remains were found in the Etjo Sandstone Formation in the Waterberg National Park in 1997 by Frank Holzfoerster from the University of Wuersburg, Germany and later identified by Dr. Bruce Rubridge and Dr. Mike Raath of the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa.	Massospondylus
Erythrosuchus, is a thecodont, a group of reptiles from the Triassic Period. It lived 230 million years ago and was the largest creature of its day. It was found on farm Omingonde by geologist Thomas Löffler and excavated in 1992, thanks to the cooperation of landowner Mr. Amon Viktor.	Erythrosuchus Fossil
Other paleontological highlights
750-650 million year old Stromatolites Ediacaran fauna like Pteridinium Cloudinia, earliest known shell-bearing fossil 13 million year old Otavipithecus namibiensis, first ape found in Southern Africa Fossilized ostrich eggs from the Namib desert 17-19.5 million year old rodents, crocodiles, elephant, rhinoceros, dassies, giraffe ancestors and fish Mammal-like reptilian Karoo fossils