FOR PIMA COUNTY

The UA Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum is housed in the south wing of the Historic Pima County Courthouse on the street side alongside the restored colonnade and courtyard. The Museum features a 12,000 SF exhibition hall showcasing an array of magnificent gems and outstanding mineral specimens. As in other renovations in this historic facility, the architecture was stripped back to the original structure and the exhibits, designed by Ralph Appelbaum Associates, inserted as new components within that shell. Each gallery takes the visitor on a different tour, covering the evolution of minerals on earth, regional minerals and mining, technological uses of minerals, and from large show-stopping specimens to tiny, intricate precious gems. Interior structures were designed in tandem with the exhibit design team to signal each new space on the visitor’s journey.

The lower level of the Courthouse houses the UA Geosciences Department with laboratories, office and work spaces. Gemologists and mineral collectors will be able to access state-of-the-art technologies, classrooms, lounge and a library. A high-density storage area and adjacent display/storage area keep the Museum’s vast collection safe and organized for periodic rotation in the Museum.

PROJECT INFO

Location : Tucson Arizona

Year Complete : 2020

Size : 12,000 square feet

Cost : $3.3M ( TI Construction) and $6.1M (Exhibits)

Photography : Logan Havens