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collection on the road while its gallery is under renovation is a time-honored tradition in the museum world.

The Secretary expressed his appreciation to the Regents for their thoughts and indicated he intends to bring the results of the feasibility study to their attention.

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In 1992 the National Museum of Natural History will close the current Gem and Mineral Hall for complete renovation. This closing represents a one-time, strategic opportunity for the museum to expand its national public service and visibility, enhance its fund-raising program for the renovation of the Hall, and provide an international audience a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to view the treasures of the National Gem Collection.

The National Gem Collection has never traveled as a collection, though individual pieces, like the Hope diamond, have traveled for short periods. The collection is truly a national treasure and has an international reputation as the most comprehensive collection of gem stones in the world. While this travelling exhibition will be a "blockbuster," it is not intended to be merely a display of rare and valuable gems. Rather, it will foreshadow the new interdisciplinary approaches envisioned for the renovated Hall. The curatorial intent will be to show both the natural and cultural history of gems and examine the two distinct types of time that are embedded in them. Geologic time will be seen in the slow, precise way in which the raw material for gems is formed. In contrast to that geological time frame will be the human history; that rapid, unpredictable way that raw material races from discovery, to faceting, to fame.

Travelling the gems will also provide a highly visible platform for the Museum's continuing fund-raising efforts for the renovation of the Hall. The current projected costs for the renovation is $10 million. A strategically constructed, highly promoted tour could raise $4 million from the respective venues. Mr. Ronald Winston, a member of the Museum's National Council, has already donated $1 million to the Hall and the tour will be an opportunity to build on this momentum on both the national and international fronts. Each venue will become a strategic site to make the project visible and immediate to potential regional givers. 

The Museum anticipates producing a significant traveling exhibition in three thematic sections. The first would focus on the natural history of gemstones, their formation, quality, and physical characteristics. A second section would focus on the human history of gems, including cross-cultural traditions, mythology, uses, and the jewelers' art. A final section will be treasures from the collection, not only focusing on the celebrity gems but also those gems that are treasures for scientific, historical, or other non-traditional reasons.

The tour would be designed to include three major American venues (Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles) and then move on to sites in Japan and Europe. The total time on tour would be nine months.