BE ADVISED: On Saturday, April 20 and Sunday, April 21, nearby events at Exposition Park and the University of Southern California will impact traffic, parking, and wayfinding in the area. Please consider riding the Metro E (Expo) Line and exiting at USC/Expo station.

Gems of the Americas

Take a trip through deep time — via the 1980s — and explore gems with a vintage NHM documentary

Gems of the Americas

Join us for a tour of Earth's history through one of NHM's own historic documentaries: 1980's Gems of the Americas. 

Gems "have been called the Rosetta stones of Earth's history", the "flowers of the mineral kingdom", and "microcosms of the universe". 

While prized for their rare brilliance, their creation reveals the inner workings of our planet's evolution, and their presence has spurred exploration, conflict, environmental degradation, and discovery across the Americas. 

With vintage 80s' style, Gems of the Americas explores every facet of their collection and study through the lens of gems and the locales in which they're found.  From plate tectonics to mining operations in the mountains of Colombia, journey into the incredible world of gems with NHM.