Mineral and Fossil Museums, Exhibits, & Displays in The USA

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Please Help This Directory Grow!

We're building a directory of such exhibits, etc. in the USA to help you find attractions as you travel within the United States. I'm adding as many of these displays, exhibits, and museums as I can, but you can help by letting us know of exhibits in your area or that you have encountered in your travels. Just click the link below and fill in the form and we'll add the new site as soon as possible. Any publicly-accessible display of minerals is eligible for listing here, but not mineral dealers, which are listed elsewhere on this site.

Acknowledgements

UPDATED ON 05/17/09

Click on Links, where Available, for More Information!

Alabama

Alabama Museum of Natural History, Smith Hall, University of Alabama Main Campus, Box 870340, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487. 205-348-9742. Free

Alaska

Juneau-Douglas City Museum, 4th & Main, Juneau, AK 99801. 907-586-3572. Tue-Sat 12-4 (Oct.-April), M-F 9-5, S-S 10-5 (May-Sep.). Free in Winter, $3 in Summer. Gold Mining in the Juneau Gold Belt. 

University of Alaska Museum, 907 Yukon Drive, UofA Fairbainks, Fairbanks, AK 99775. 907-474-7505 June, July, Aug., Daily 9-7, May, Sep. Daily 9-5, Oct-Apr M-F 9-5, S-S 12-5. $5/$3

Arizona

University of Arizona Mineral Museum, Flandreau Science Center, U of AZ, University Blvd. & Cherry Ave., Tucson, AZ. M-F 9-5, Sat-Sun 1-5. $3/$2

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, 2021 N. Kinney Rd., Tucson, AZ 86743. 520-883-3033. Daily (Oct.-Feb) 8:30-5. Daily (Mar-Sep) 7:30-6. (Arizona Minerals)

Arkansas

University Museum, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR. 501-575-2000 (Check first)

California

San Diego Natural History Museum, 1788 El Prado, Balboa Park, San Diego, CA. 619-232-3821. Daily 9:30-4:30.

Fallbrook Gem and Mineral Society Museum, 123 W. Alvarado St., Fallbrook, CA, 92028, 760-728-1130. Tues., Thurs., 10-3 . 

San Bernardino County Museum, 2024 Orange Tree Lane, Redlands, CA 92374. 909-307-2669.  Tue-Sun 9-5. $6/$5/$4

Natural History Museum of L. A. County, 900 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90007. Tue-Sun 10-4:45. (World Class Collections)

California Academy of Science, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA. Daily 10-5. (Excellent Small Systematic Collection)

Santa Cruz City Museum of Natural History, 1305 E. Cliff Dr., Santa Cruz, CA. Tue-Fri 10-5, S-S 1-5.

Gaumer's Mineral & Mining Museum, 78 Belle Mill Rd., Red Bluff, CA 96080, M-F 9-5. Mining and minerals exhibits, including a mining cabin and mine tunnel. Easy freeway access off I-5, State 99 and 36. Group tours by appointment.

California State Mining and Mineral Museum, Mariposa, CA. 209-742-7625. In the Fairgrounds on HWY 49. Opens at 10AM Daily (Summer) Wed-Sun 10-4 (Winter). (Terrific display of gold specimens, and a walk through mine simulation)

Colorado

Denver Museum of Natural History, 20001 Colorado Blvd., Denver, CO 80205. 303-370-6445. Daily 9-5. (Colorado Minerals and More)

Western Museum of Mining & Industry, 1025 North Gate Rd., Colorado Springs, CO 80921. 719-495-2182. M-Sat, 9-4. Sun. 12-4 (Sundays Jun-Sep only). (Colorado Minerals and Mining)

Geology Museum, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401. 303-273-3823. M-Sat 9-4. Sun 1-4. (Closed Sun in Summer) (Worldwide & CO Minerals)

Museum of Western Colorado, 4th & Ute, Grand Junction, CO. 970-242-0971. (Fossils)

Ouray County Museum, 420 Sixth Ave., Ouray, CO, 81427. No further Information

Connecticut

Peabody Museum, Yale University, Whitney Ave., New Haven, CT.  (New England Minerals)

Bruce Museum, One Museum Drive, Greenwich, CT 06830. 203-869-0376. Tue-Sat 10-5, Sun 2-5. $3.50/$2.50 (Simulated cave display of minerals, with fluorescents)

Delaware

University of Delaware Mineralogical Museum, 112 Penny Hall, Newark, DE, 19716. T-F 12-4, S-S 1-4.  302-831-8242. (Worldwide Minerals). Mailing address: University Gallery & Mineralogical Museum, 114 Old College, Newark, DE, 19716

District of Columbia

Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC. (Enough Said...The Best! Gem And Mineral Hall Now Reopened)

Florida

Gillespie Museum of Minerals, Stetson University, Deland, FL 32720. 386-822-7330. T-F, 10-4, plus selected Saturdays, when University is in session. Fossil Room, UV Room, Large Collection, Gift Shop.

Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida Campus, Gainsville, FL 32611. 352-846-2000. M-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5. (Fossils)

Georgia

University of GA Museum of Natural History, East Campus Drive, University of GA, Athens, GA. 30602

Weinman Mineral Museum, 51 Mineral Museum Drive, White, GA 30184. 770-386-0576. Tue-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5. (Georgia & Worldwide Minerals & Fossils)

Geology Building, Emory University, 1557 Pierce Dr., Atlanta, GA. (4 Cases in Hall)

State Capitol Building, Downtown Atlanta, GA. 3rd Floor. (Approx. 25 cases of minerals)

Hawaii

Lyman Museum, 276 Haili St.,  Hilo, HI, 96720. 808-935-5021, M-Sat 9:30-4:30. 

Idaho

Museum of Mining and Geology, 2455 Old Penitentiary Rd., Boise, ID. 208-368-9876. (Mining and Geology Exhibits)

Kellogg's Staff House Mining & Smelting Museum, 820 McKinley Ave., Kellogg, ID, 208-786-4141. Daily 10-5. (Bunker Hill Mine exhibits, and minerals)

Idaho Museum of Natural History, Idaho State U. Campus, 5th Ave. & Dillon St., Pocatello, Idaho. 208-236-3317. M-Sat 10-4/5. Free.

Illinois

Field Museum of Natural History, Roosevelt Road at Lakeshore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605. 312-922-9410. Daily 9-5. Admission: $7 ($4 kids & seniors) Free on Wed. (Outstanding large museum exhibits.)

Lizzadro Museum, 220 Cottage Hill - Wilder Park, Elmhurst, IL 60126. 630-833-1616. Tue-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5. Admission $2.50 ($1.50 kids & seniors) Friday Free.(Lapidary Arts)

Fryxell Geology Museum, Augustana College, Rock Island, IL. Turn West off 38th St. Campus Entrance, in the Swenson Hall of Science. M-F 8-5, Weekends 1-5 (Second Largest Geology Museum in Illinois)

Funk Mineral Museum, Box 75A, Shirley, IL, 61772, 309-827-6792. Tue-Sat, 9-4. Closed Jan. & Feb. Interesting private museum created by a late midwestern seed company executive. Hard to find, so call ahead. Appointments suggested.

Illinois State Museum, Spring & Edwards Sts., Springfield, IL 62706. 217-782-7387. M-Sat 8:30-5, Sun 12-5. FREE

American Fluorite Museum, Main Street, P.O. Box 755, Rosiclare, IL, 62982. March to December. Fri. 10-5; Sat. 1-5. Tours by appointment. Specializing in the Fluorite mining district of the region.

Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois. Geology Department, First Floor. (Worldwide minerals and fossils)

Indiana

Indiana State Museum, 650 W. Washington St.,  Indianapolis, IN 46204. 317-232-1637. M-Sat 9-4:45, Sun 12-5 (Fossils, Calcite)

Falls of the Ohio State Park, Clarksville, Indiana. 812-280-9970. M-Sat 9-5, Sun 1-5. (Fossil displays, plus a preserved coral-sponge patch reef)

Iowa

University of Iowa Museum of Natural History, Macbride Hall, U of Iowa Campus, Iowa City, IA 52242. 319-335-3500 M-Sat 9:30-4:30, Sun 12:30-4:30 FREE

Kansas

Keystone Gallery, 401 US Hwy 83, Scott City, KS, 67871, 620-872-2762 (9AM to 1/2hr. before sunset)

Emporia State University Geology Museum, ESU Cram Science Hall, 14th & Merchant, Emporia, KS. 316-341-5330. M-F 8-10, Sat 8-12 (During school year). Free.

Fick Fossil and History Museum, Oakley, Kansas. 785-672-4839. M-Sat 9-5, Sun 2-4. (Minerals, Fossils, Antiques, etc.)

Kentucky

The Clement Mineral Museum, 205 N. Walker St., Marion, KY. 270-965-4263. Tue-Sat. 9-3.

Western Kentucky University Geology Department Hallway, Bowling Green, KY 42101. 502-745-0111, Anytime the building is open. Minerals & Fossils in hall cabinets.

House of Onyx, 120 N. Main, Greenville, KY 42345. 800-844-3100. By Appointment.

Louisiana

Help Us Find a Museum or Exhibits in LA!

Maine

Bowdoin College Geology Department Hallways, Brunswick, ME. Open whenever Geology Department offices are open.

L.C. Bates Museum, Good Will-Hinckley School, US Route 201, Kinckley, ME 04944. 2-7-453-7615. Open by appointment...call first.

MacDonald's Mineral Museum, 34 Moody St., Saco, ME 04072. 207-284-4633

Maryland

Help Us Find a Museum or Exhibits in MD!

Massachusetts

Springfield Science Museum, The Quadrangle, 236 State St., Springfield, MA 01103. 413-263-6800. W-Sun 12-4. Also Tuesdays in Summer. $4/$1 (New Mineral Hall)

Harvard Mineralogical Museum, 24 Oxford St., Cambridge, MA 02138. 617-495-4758. M-Sat 9-4:30. Sun 1-4:30. (Systematic Mineral Collection)

Michigan

Cranbrook Institute of Science, 1221 N. Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills, MI 48303. 248-645-3209. M-F 8:30-5. World Class specimens in the Mineral Hall.

A. E. Seaman Mineralogical Museum, Michigan Tech. Univ., Houghton, MI 49931. 906-487-2572. M-F 9-4:30

Minnesota

Science Museum of Minnesota, Exchange and Wabasha Sts., St Paul, MN. 612-221-9488 M-W 9:30-5, Thu-Sat 9:30-9, Sun 10:30-7.

Mississippi

Help Us Find a Museum or Exhibits in MS!

Missouri

Missouri Mines State Historical Site, Hwy. 32, P.O. Box 492, Park Hills, MO 63601, In Park Hills, on South side of HWY. 32, 573-431-6226, From the week after Memorial day through the week after Labor day.  Mining equipment, minerals, et.

Tri-State Mineral Museum, 7th St. & Schifferdecker Ave., Joplin, MO 64801. 417-623-2341. Closed Mon. , Tue. 10-7, Wed-Sat 10-5, Sun 2-5, Closed Holidays. Specimens and info on history of mining in the Tri-State District. Curator, Chris Wiseman.

Montana

Park County Museum, 118 W. Chinook, Livingston, MT. 406-222-4184. Jun 1 - Labor Day Daily 12-5, 7-9PM.

Montana Tech Mineral Museum, Butte Montana, at MTech. 406-496-4414. 8-5 Daily, June-Labor Day. M-F, Sun 8-5, Labor Day-May. (Montana & Idaho Minerals)Ekalala County Museum, Ekalala, MT. (Triceratops Exhibit)

Nebraska

University of Nebraska State Museum, 14th & U Sts., Lincoln, NE. 402-472-2642. M-Sat 9:30-4:30, Sun 1:30-4:30.

Nevada

W. M. Keck Museum, MacKay School of Mines, University of Nevada, Reno, NV. 702-784-6052. M-F 9-5. Large Collection, Including Mining Artifacts.

Marshall Mint & Museum, 96 N. C Street, Virginia City, NV 89440. 702-847-0777. Daily 9-5.

Lincoln County Historical Museum, 69 Main St., Pioche, NV. Daily 10-1, 2-4PM. Some Mineral Specimens, Mining.

New Hampshire

Help Us Find a Museum or Exhibits in NH!

New Jersey

Morris Museum, Six Normandy Heights Rd. Morristown, NJ 07960, 201-538-0454. M-F 10-5, Sun 1-5. $5/$3

Rutgers University Geology Museum, Geology Hall, Old Queens Section, Queens Campus, New Brunswick, NJ 732-932-7243. M 1-4, Tue-F 9-12 Sun 12-4.

Paterson Museum, 2 Market St., Paterson, NJ 07501. 201-881-3874. Tue-Fri 10-4. Sat-Sun, 12:30-4:30. $2, kids free.

Franklin Mineral Museum, 32 Evans St., Franklin, NJ 07416, 973-827-3481. April 1 - November 30, Mon.-Sat. 10-4, Sun. 12:30-4:30

Sterling Hill Mine & Museum, 30 Plant St., Ogdensburg, NJ 07439. 201-209-7212. Daily, 10-5 (March1 - November 30-). Admission $7.50/$5.

New Mexico

New Mexico Museum of Natural Historym 1801 Mountain Road NW, Albuquerque, NM. 505-841-2800. Daily 9-5.

New Mexico Bureau of Mines Mineral Museum, New Mexico Tech, 801 Leroy Place, Socorro, NM 87801. 505-835-5140. M-F 8-5, Sat-Sun 10-3. (New Mexico Minerals & Mining, plus Worldwide Minerals)

Geology & Meteorite Museums, University of New Mexico. Northrop Hall, University of New Mexico, Albubuquerque, NM 87131. 505-277-4204, Hours: M-F 9-4 (During School Year) (Worldwide Minerals, Meteorites, NM Fossils)

New York

New York State Museum, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12230. (Daily 10-5)

Hicksville Gregory Museum, Heitz Place Courthouse, Hicksville, NY 516-822-7505

American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West, at 79th St., New York, NY. 212-769-5100. Sun-Thurs 10-5:45, Fri, Sat 10-8:45. Admission: $8. Take B or C Subway line To 81st St. Station. (Simply the best anywhere!)

North Carolina

Mineral & Lapidary Museum of Hendersonville, 400 N. Main St., Hendersonville, NC 28792. 828-698-1977. (M-F 1-5, Sat. 10-5)

Colburn Gem & Mineral Museum, 2 South Pack Square, Asheville, NC 28801. 704-254-7162. Hours Tue-Sat 10-5. Sun 1-5(June-Oct). (NC and worldwide gems and minerals)

Shiele Museum of Natural History, 1500 E. Garrison Blvd., Gastonia, NC. 704-866-6900 M-Sat 9-5, Sun. 1-5

Natural Science Center of Greensboro, 4301 Lawndale Dr., Greensboro, NC 27455. 910288-3769. Mon-Sat 9-5, Sun 12:30-5 (Minerals & Fossils)

Museum of North Carolina Minerals, 79 Parkway Rd., (Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 331), Spruce Pine, NC 28777. 828-765-2761. Hours: Sun-Sat 9-5. Specializing in North Carolina Minerals. Year round. New Exhibits and renovations in 2002.

North Dakota

Dakota Dinosaur Museum, 200 Museum Drive, Dickinson, ND. 701-225-3466. Daily 9-6 (Summer), Tue-Sat 9-5, Sun 12-5 (Not Just Fossils)

Ohio

Orton Geological Museum, 155 South Oval Mall, Ohio State, Columbus, OH 43210. 614-292-6896 M-F 8-5. Free.

The Cleveland Museum of Natural History, 1 Wade Oval Drive, University Circle, Cleveland, OH 44106. 216-231-4600. M-Sat 10-5, Wed. 10-10, Sun 12-5.

Oklahoma

Timberlake Rose Rock Museum, Noble, OK. (See their website for details)

Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, 1335 Asp Avenue, University of OK, Norman, OK. 73019. 405-325-4712. (Currently building a new facility, opening 1999)

Oregon

Oregon State University, Geology Building, Corvallis, OR. Exhibit in halls of Geology Building. Free.

Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks & Minerals, 26385 NW Groveland Dr., Hillsboro, OR 97124. 503-647-2418. Wed-Sun 1PM-5PM. Over 3000 specimens from the Richard and Helen Rice Collection. 20 min. W. of Portland.

Crater Rock Museum, 2002 Scenic Ave., Central Point, OR 97502, 541-664-0974, Tue, Thu, Sat, 10-4. Private museum, with excellent northwest minerals and more.

Pennsylvania

Delaware County Institute of Science, 11 Veterans Square, Media, PA. 610-566-5126. M, Th, Sat, 9-1. Roger Mitchell, Curator of Minerals.

Bryn Mawr College, Vaux Mineral Collection, Science Center, Bryn Mawr College, 101 N. Merion Ave., Bryn Mawr, PA 19010. 610-526-5115. M-F, 9-5, Sept. 1 - May 15. Closed holidays and during college vacations.

Academy of Natural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, PA 19103. 215-299-1000. M-F 10-4:30, S-S 10-5. $6.50/$5.50 (Minerals and fossils)

Wagner Free Institute of Science, 1700 W. Montgomery Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19121. 215-763-6529. Tue-Fri 9-4 FREE (Contains mineral and fossil collection of William Wagner, in original antique cases!)

North Museum of Natural History, 400 College Ave, Lancaster, PA. 717-291-3941. Tue-Sat 9-5, Sun 1:30-5. $3.50/$2.50. (PA Minerals, Fluorescents, Fossils, in Geology Hall.

Carnegie Museum of Natural History, 4400 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15213, 412-622-3391. Tue-Sat 10-5, F 10-9, Sun 1-5. (Worldwide Minerals & Gems)

Penn State Earth & Mineral Sciences Museum, Steidle Building, University Park, State College, PA 16802. 814-865-6427. M-F 9-5 Sat, Sun 1-5. (Various Mineralogical Exhibits.)

Rhode Island

Museum of Natural History, Roger Williams Park, Providence, RI. 401-785-9450. Daily 10-5 $2

South Carolina

Bob Campbell Geology Museum, 103 Garden Trail, Clemson, SC, 29634. 864-656-4600. Th-S 10-5, Sun. 1-5

McKissick Museum, University of South Carolina, Bull & Pendleton Sts., Columbia, SC, 29208. 803-777-7251. Home of the Laurence L. Smith Mineral Collection. M-F 9-4, S-S 1-5. FREE!

South Dakota

Black Hills Institute of Geological Research , Main St., Hill City, SD. 

Museum of Geology, South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, 501 E. Joseph St., Rapid City, SD 57701. 605-394-2467. M-F 8-5, Sat 9-4, Sun 1-4. (Black Hills Pegmatite Minerals)

Journey Museum, 222 New York St., Rapid City, SD 57701. 605-394-6923. Daily 9-8 (Summer), Daily 10-4 (Winter).

Pillars of the Nation, Sioux Falls, SD. No Address. (Rocks from all states in pillars, built in 1915. See front of Phone Book for location)

Tennessee

McClung Museum, University of Tenessee, 1327 Circle Park, Knoxville, TN. 37996. 423-974-2144. M-F 9-5, Sat 10-3, Sun 1-5. Free. (Tennessee Geology)

Texas

Strecker Museum, Baylor University, Waco, TX. 817-755-1110. Tue-Fri 9-4, Sat 10-4, Sun 2-5. Free.

Houston Museum of Natural Science, 1 Herman Cir. Dr., Houston, TX 77030. 713-639-4673. M-Sat 9-6, Sun 12-6. (Fine Specimens, Worldwide)

Utah

Hutchings Museum of Natural History, 55 N. Center, Lehi, UT 84043, 801-768-7180, Hours and admission unknown.

Utah Field House of Natural History, 235 E. Main, Vernal, UT 84078, 789-3799. M-Sun 8-5 (summer), M-Sun 9-5 (winter). $1.50/$1.00

Hyrum City Museum, 83 W. Main, Hyrum, UT 84319. 245-6033. T,T,S 3-5. (Fluorescent minerals)

College of Eastern Utah Prehistoric Museum, Price, Utah. 435-637-5060 Daily 9-5 (paleontology)

Vermont

Fairbanks Museum, Main St. Historical District, St. Johnsbury, VT. 802-748-2372. M-Sat 10-4, Sun 1-5. (Surprisingly good.)

Virginia

Virginia Museum of Natural History, University of Virginia, 104 Emmet St., Charlottesville, VA. M-F 8:30-4:30.

Virginia Tech Geological Sciences Museum, Derring Hall, Virginia Tech., Blacksburg, VA 24061. M-F 8-4. FREE

James Madison University Mineral Museum, Miller Hall, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA. 540-568-6130. Hours 8-5 Weekdays.

Washington

Burke Museum of Natural History, University of Washington, 17th Ave. & NE 45th St., Seattle, WA 98195. 206-543-5590. Daily 10-5. Thurs 10-8. $5.50/$4/$2.50.

West Virginia

Help Us Find a Museum or Exhibits in WV!

Wisconsin

Milwaukee Public Museum, 800 W. Wells St., Milwaukee, WI. Daily 9-5. $5.50/$4.50/$3.50 (Geology & Paleontology Exhibits)

Geology Museum, University of Wisconsin, 1215 W. Dayton St., Madison, Wisconsin. 608-262-2399 M-F 8:30-4:30, Sat. 9-1.

Wyoming

University of Wyoming Geological Museum, Northwest Corner of U. of WY campus, Laramie, WY 82071. 307-766-2636. M-F 8-5, Sat-Sun 10-3 FREE

Acknowledgements

Thanks to all the good folks who have contributed information to this page:

Nathan Schachtman, Alan Goldstein, Mark Randle, Gary Holloway, Lance Kearns, Bob Gembolis, Earl English, Anita Westlake, John Cianciulli, Larry Rush, Raymond Rodebaugh, Mark Case, Elizabeth Commean, Jim Mills, Mel Moyer, Kelly Nash, Don Shaeffer, David Dick, Larry Blake, Patti Jensen, Jim Hamblen, Mary Pat Wyatt.