Minerals also form other shapes which are not crystals. The mineral smithsonite forms rounded crusts on rocks and minerals. Pyrite may form smoothly rounded lumps called nodules.

If you find a mineral with perfectly flat surfaces, it is likely a crystal. Some minerals break cleanly when hit, leaving pieces with smooth surfaces that look like crystals.

These clean breaks are called "cleavages". Each mineral tends to break or cleave more easily in some directions than in others. The way it breaks is called its cleavage pattern. Often you can identify minerals by a combination of their crystal shape and their cleavage pattern.

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It wasn't until 19th century that buildings were specifically designed as museums. Before that time, churches, monasteries, palaces, or state buildings that no longer served as their original purpose were used as museums. One of first buildings in Europe planned as a museum was Altes (OLD) Museum in Berlin, Germany. It was built in 1830.

The first children's museum was organized by Brooklyn Museum in New York in 1899. Today hundreds of museums designed especially for children can be found all around world. Many have programs where children can make their own models and crafts, touch artifacts or dinosaur bones.

Some museums are devoted especially to hobbies and collectibles. All over world hobbyists share their treasures and collections. The Internet is a convenient way to travel world and visit these special collections from across globe.

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