Archduke Johann’s natural science collections are the historic core of our museum, and in the 19th century the Joanneum was the scene of natural scientific discoveries of global importance. For example, mineralogist Friedrich Mohs developed the Mohs Scale of mineral hardness here, and biologist Franz Xaver Unger, who taught at the Joanneum, is considered the 'father of palaeobotany'.

From 2012, visitors to our museum can explore these and other discoveries in greater depth in the completely new Natural History Museum in the Joanneum Quarter, where the collections of the botany, geology & palaeontology, mineralogy and zoölogy departments will be open to the public.