The Museum of Geology and Paleontology at the Faculty of Geography and Ecology of  Samarkand State University named after Sharof Rashidov was founded in 1938 on the initiative of professors V.P. Smirnova, L.V. Azarova, Y.A. Levena, V.N. This museum is a museum of paleontology and historical geology, mineralogy, petrography and minerals. In the Museum of Paleontology and Geology you can see various rocks, ores and minerals from different regions of the globe. Among the museum's exhibits are various fossilized remains of animals and plants brought from Italy, Spain, France, Austria, India, Mongolia and several other countries. Also among the rare exhibits of the museum there are several types of marble, which belongs to the group of decorative stones found only in the territory of Uzbekistan in Central Asia.

    This museum is considered the only museum of paleontology and geology not only in Uzbekistan, but also in Central Asia, which contains more than 5,000 valuable rare exhibits. The Museum of Paleontology and Geology consists of paleontological, historical-geological, mineralogical and petrographic parts;

- more than 1000 paleontological, i.e. fossils of animals and plants preserved in the earth's layers and petrified;

- more than 500 historical geological exhibits related to the development of the earth's crust, formed from the birth of the Earth to this period;

- exhibits of more than 2000 igneous, organic, metamorphic rocks related to mineralogy are presented;

    It should be noted that due to several moves, the museum lost many valuable collections.

    Among the museum's exhibits are various fossilized remains of animals and plants brought from Italy, Spain, France, Austria, India, Mongolia and several other countries. Among the rare exhibits of the museum are several types of marble, belonging to the group of decorative stones found only in Uzbekistan in Central Asia.

    Currently, this museum is a large scientific and laboratory center, where young scientists use it in the process of their scientific research, as well as a resource for students to study geology, geomorphology, general land knowledge, natural geography of Uzbekistan and other subjects.

    Based on the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan I.A. Karimov dated January 12, 1998 “On the radical improvement and improvement of museum activities” and articles 28-29 of the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On the protection and use of nature” dated December 26, 1997. Bringing the geological museum into the ranks of museums in the world, preserving its rare exhibits, replenishing their new exhibits, transfer to next generations should become one of the important and pressing tasks of our time.