Large mineral samples (in a glass cabinet in the middle of the room), collection of building materials (samples) and systematic mineralogy. The covering of the heating stoves preserved in their original state is of historical interest. They are situated in the two corners of the room away from the windows. (In times gone by, all the rooms of the Museum were heated by warm water stoves, which were appropriately covered. These are the two sole remaining stove covers).
The paintings on the walls depict the salt mines in Wieliczka (Hugo Charlemont), the diamond works in Kimberley (Othmar Brioschi), the Calvary Hill in the Adelsberger Grotte (Carl Hasch), gold mining in the Sierra Nevada in California (Wilhelm Bernatzik), and the lead mine in Raibl (Eduard v. Lichtenfels).
On the table on the right-hand side of the entrance there is a list showing the location of the various minerals which permits visitors to quickly and easily locate specific mineral types.
The systematized mineral collection (minerals classified according to their chemical composition and crystal structure which was restructured in the late 1960's according to the Ramdohr-Strunz and Strunz system) begins with the first table cabinet.
Particularly noteworthy in the mineral system (elements, sulphides and related chemical compounds) are the following: Pieces of native silver/Joachimsthal (I/2); native gold/Eule (I/5); landsbergite/Moschellandsberg (I/8); sylvanite/Offenbanya (I/17); tetradymite/Ankogel (I/18); argentite/Joachimsthal (I/21 and 22); hessite/Botes (I/24); bornite/Frossnitz (I/24); millerite/Breitenau (I/63); sternbergite/Joachimstal (I/63); galenite/Gonderbach and Neudorf (I/66); stephanite (I/77); freieslebenite/Hiendelaencina (I/81); lorandite/Allchar (I/84), and hauerite/Kalinka and Raddusa (I/86).
Of particular note in Hall I is the halite sample from Wieliczka, displayed in the central cabinet, which is considered to be one of the best of its kind. Also on display in the central cabinet is a smoky quartz weighing 115 kg which was discovered in the Tiefen glacier, Switzerland in 1868. It is one of the heaviest samples ever unearthed there. The Eisenblüte ("iron flower") from the Styrian Erzberg is considered to be one of the best examples of this type of mineral. Further, the calcite from Iceland ("Iceland spar") is probably one of the largest from this deposit in the possession of a museum.
The cabinet in front of the window has a changing display and is used mainly to document the most recent collections.