[5] It is named after Luigi Bombicci, the first holder of the Chair of Mineralogy at the University of Bologna, among the main promoters of the collection.

[8] The museum contains 50,000 items[9] but exhibits only a part of them, over 10,000 mineral samples divided into various thematic collections, some of which are of particular scientific interest, such as the section dedicated to the geo-mineralogical aspects of the Bolognese territory, over 600 ancient marbles, ambers, 150 meteorite fragments including the Renazzo carbonaceous chondrite.

[10] In addition, the museum collects and exhibits numerous ancient scientific instruments.

[9] The museum, which occupies an area of 850 m2,[10] is located on the first floor of the building that also houses the Department of Earth Sciences of the University of Bologna.

The building, with its Renaissance style, was transformed by architects Pasquale Penza and Flavio Bastiani between 1860 and 1903, at the request of Professor Luigi Bombicci.