This week, the Icelandic Institute of Natural History has taken back a piece of moon rock that was on loan to The Exploration Museum in Húsavík, in north east Iceland. The moon rock, which had been one of the top attractions in the space and travel section of the museum, has been returned due to security issues.
The Icelandic Institute of Natural History, who is responsible for the stone, believes that there is insufficient security at the museum. The value of the stone is believed to run into millions of Kronur.
Jón Gunnar Ottósson, director of The Icelandic Institute of Natural History, said: “Several of these stones have been disappearing from museums overseas, like in Malta, Sweden and elsewhere, and are being sold for very high sums.”
If the Exploration Museum improves its security the contract to display the moon stone can be renewed, but for the moment it is being returned to secure storage at The Natural History Institute, the director explained.
“Until we loan it out again, we have a great deal of security: we have new storage facilities which fulfill all security requirements,” Jón Gunnar said.