Mineral menagerie, Vienna, Austria. I escaped from the uninvited attentions of a persistent palm-reader by ducking into the great halls of the Natural History Museum of Vienna (Naturhistorisches Museum Wien).

What a fortunate choice! Through their fascinating, one-of-a-kind collection "the visitor can travel through our planet’s history, through the breathtaking diversity of nature and back to the origins of our culture." All this is contained in elegant rooms with high ceilings and the feel of history everywhere.

This photo is just a small sample of the museum's delights... watch for more in coming weeks.