DAZZLING MASTERSTROKE BY MUSÉE DE LA CIVILISATION After New York, San Diego and Tokyo, now it's Québec City and Musée de la civilisation's turn to become the glittering host to Diamonds, an exhibition running from April 10, 2001 to January 6, 2002. This collection of priceless objects from all over the world includes famous historic jewels that have belonged to popes, kings, queens, diamond cutters, and prestigious collectors. This is a unique opportunity to admire an impressive number of exquisite diamonds of all shapes and sizes! In order to mount this exhibit, Musée de la civilisation worked in close cooperation with New York's American Museum of Natural History, which originally developed the concept of the exhibition entitled The Nature of Diamonds and has loaned half of the objects on display. The other pieces come from the United States, Canada, South Africa, and many European countries (France, England, Austria, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, and Portugal). The Museum has put together an impressive collection of 400 objects (precious stones, jewelry, and geological specimens) with Diamonds, the most comprehensive exhibit on the subject ever presented in North America. This masterstroke by Musée de la civilisation is a sign of the level of expertise the Museum has attained. Today, its experience, its know-how, and the professionalism of its staff are renowned at museums throughout the world. The Museum's solid reputation earned it entry into the singular world of diamond cutters as well as the trust of private collectors and institutions of worldwide renown, including the Diamond Museum in Antwerp, Belgium; the Vatican; and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, whose personal collection of jewels rarely travels. This exhibit is also a unique opportunity to raise public awareness of the great benefits from Québec Government and private sector efforts in the mining sector, particularly diamond mining. Recent scientific studies backed by numerous drilling tests have confirmed Québec's immense diamantiferous potential. Diamonds: nature's magnificent and symbolic gift Throughout the seven-section exhibit, visitors will be able to admire unique jewels of exquisite and rare beauty, including many that are rich in history and symbolism, like the engagement ring offered by Maximilian I of Austria to his fiancée Marie de Bourgogne in 1477; the Williamson diamond (23 carats) offered by the geologist of the same name to Queen Elizabeth II in 1947 as a wedding gift; and the Eureka diamond (10 carats), the first diamond discovered in South Africa in 1866, the one that completely changed the country's future. You'll be dazzled by fabulous creations by such famous diamond cutters as Cartier, Fabergé, Tiffany, and Birks. Many of the works on display are absolutely stunning: the Isabelle W.-A. diamond, a superb 82 carat black stone; the Brinkhaus necklace, featuring over 2,000 diamonds totaling 67 carats set in a grid collar; the Errington blue diamond weighing over 62 carats; and the Tiara of Pope Grégoire XVI, containing a sparkling array of 16,000 diamonds and precious stones (will be presented in fall). But the Diamonds exhibition is not simply a display of jewels. It also features a highly detailed and easy-to-understand scientific component that explores the origins of the geological formation of this precious stone. It looks at how diamonds are formed at the center of the earth, what they are made of, how they rise to the surface, how they are extracted, and which countries are the main producers. The exhibit also examines ties with industry and technology; the use of diamonds in boring, cutting tools, and optics; and the making of synthetic diamonds and how to tell them apart from the real thing. Diamonds Publication The essential companion guide to this exhibit, Diamonds is a high quality, richly illustrated publication already available at the Museum Boutique. It was put together in cooperation with the Musée d'histoire naturelle in Paris and provides valuable insight into the fascinating world of diamonds, examining their origins at the core of the planet, the many sizes and unique features of this precious stone, and some of the world's most famous diamonds. Mining Did you know that tennis rackets contain titanium? And that one of the ingredients in skin creams is zinc? In fact, we frequently use mined products in our everyday lives. In cooperation with the Quebec Mining Association, Musée de la civilisation is presenting—in an adjacent hall—an exhibit entitled Mining. It's an interactive and informative display spotlighting Québec's mining industry in all its forms, from prospecting to extraction and processing. The Diamonds exhibition will run at Musée de la civilisation in Québec City from April 10, 2001 to January 6, 2002. It's the Québec City cultural event of 2001! Informations: Agnès Dufour, [418] 643-2158 Relations publiques et communications Issued : March 14, 2001 © Musée de la civilisation