Natural History Museum of Vienna

Natural History Museum of Vienna (Austria)

The oldest, and one of the world's largest meteorite collections is housed at the Natural History Museum of Vienna. It has over 10,300 catalogued samples of 2,550 meteorites. 1,100 meteorites are on display in the Meteorite Hall, making this the largest public exhibit in the world. Below are just a few examples. These photo's were taken by my brother, Paul Kenny, and used with kind permission of Dr. Ludovic Ferriére of the Museum.

The Meteorite Hall

The Meteorite Collection

Hraschina

Croatia - 1751. Iron.

This is the 39 kg main mass of a meteorite that fell (in two pieces) near Zagreb, Croatia. It was the first widely witnessed iron meteorite fall.

This mass became the founding piece of the Viennese meteorite collection.

Drawing of the fireball

Naturhistorisches Museum Wien - Sept 30 2023

Barbotan

Naturhistorisches Museum Wien - Sept 30 2023

Barbotan, France - 1790. H5 chondrite.

An widely witnessed bright fireball fragmented, and was followed 5 minutes later by a violent explosion and a sulfurous odour. A number of stones fell over an extensive area of strewnfield including fields, forests and farms. There was a report that a stone killed a shepherd after falling through his hut, and cattle may have been killed. Stones of 1 - 45 kgs were reported.

Nicholas Baudin, a professor of Physics, saw the event and published a detailed report in 1796. 300 witnesses testified to what they saw. Although the true celestial origin of this meteorite was vigorously doubted at the time (and even felt to be a collective delusion), this event added growing evidence that rocks fell from space.