Portovelo

Museo Magner Turner

The selection of pieces to form part of the Mineralogical Museum of Portovelo began in 1976, although it was only organized as a museum in June 1995. The initial collection consisted of seven thousand pieces from different parts of the world, including a detailed sample of minerals and equator rocks. Almost all the stones in the world are gathered in a single space. Its owner has managed to collect the mining history of Portovelo and other parts of the planet.Topaz, opals, ruby, emerald and, of course, gold, are exhibited with the old carbide lamps and helmets to enter the mines. LOCATION The museum is located in the Campamento Americano neighborhood of the canton of Portovelo, province of El Oro, one kilometer from the city center. FEATURED PLACES Showcases: The room has twenty showcases for eight hundred pieces on display, the rest remain packed due to lack of space. The bunker: it has three mines of 1.90 meters by 1 meter section, containing five hundred samples of rocks and raw minerals, mine platforms and mining masonry. The museum: it is made up of 1500 samples of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks; 2,500 samples of metallic and non-metallic minerals; 550 precious and semi-precious stones; 450 vintage parts and equipment, including coins; 50 pieces of caving. Graphic and documentary section: Includes 200 graphics of mining in Portovelo and different parts of the world. 150 images of the city and characters of old Portovelo. In addition, 300 images, testimonials written by Magner Turner and an undetermined number of anecdotes and curiosities compiled by the author in various field diaries and logs.