The Natural Science Museum of Ilmen Reserve is one of the few geological and mineralogical ones in the world, and there are only 4 similar ones in Russia. Its upper floor is home to one of Russia's largest biological dioramas.

    The first collections of minerals and rock specimens were started in 1925 soon after the Reserve's foundation. Since 1990 the Museum has been housed in a modern three-storey building. It has six large halls with a total area of 2050 sq.m. The rich and varied biodiversity of the Ilmens is displayed in the Biological Hall of the museum.

    The collections of minerals classified according to types of pegmatites are presented in the Ilmen Hall. Theme-specific collections of minerals and rocks from diverse deposits in this country and from the abroad are presented in the hall named "Mineralogy of Deposits of Economic Minerals". Over 700 mineral samples are exhibited in the showcases of this hall. 1750 samples of various minerals and rocks, which represent 740 types of minerals, are exhibited in the "Systematic Collection of Minerals" hall