Rice Museum

Thanksgiving Holiday Hours

Events, Local Events, News, Science /

Rice NW Museum will be open special hours for Thanksgiving Week! We will also be having extra public tours! If you’re here Friday, Saturday, or Sunday at 2:00, meet your museum host at the Northwest Gallery for a guided tour of the museum. Hours for Thanksgiving Week: Monday, 11/20/2017: Closed Tuesday, 11/21/2017: Closed Wednesday, 11/22/2017: Open: 1:00 PM- 5:00 PM Thursday, 11/23/2017: Closed in observance of Thanksgiving Friday, 11/24/2017: Open: Holiday Hours, 10:00 AM- 5:00 PM •  Hosted Tour 2:00 PM- 3:30 PM Saturday, 11/25/2017: Open: 10:00 AM- 5:00 PM •  Hosted Tour 2:00 PM- 3:30 PM Sunday, 11/26/2017: Open: 10:00 AM- 5:00 PM •  Hosted Tour 2:00 PM- 3:30 PM

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Hillsboro Tribune: Hillsboro’s Best 2017

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Thank you for voting for the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals in the Hillsboro Tribune’s annual Hillsboro’s Best awards. We’re honored to receive the highest awards from readers of the Hillsboro Tribune in SIX categories! Thank you so much for naming the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks & Minerals: Gold: Best Family Attraction Best Place to Take the Kids Best Place to Volunteer Best Annual Event (Summer Festival) Best Holiday Event (Thunder-Egg-Stravaganza) Bronze: Best Wedding Venue “The Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals walked away with not one, not two, but six awards this year — five of them gold. Readers say they’re the best family attraction in town, hold the best summer and holiday events — their annual summer festival and Thunder Egg-Stravaganza are to die for — and are a great place to volunteer and, yes, even host a wedding.” Check out the full list of “Hillsboro’s Best” here!

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Book signing at the museum!

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Local author Tonya Macalino will release her latest book at the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals on October 7, 2017 from 2:00-4:00 PM. Executive Director Julian Gray, author Tonya Macalino, and representatives from the Hillsboro Historical Society will present connections to local history and special places in the third book of The Gates of Auròna children’s chapter book series and Tonya will be signing her book. The Rice Museum features as a major location for the young adventurers in Macalino’s new release The Gates of Auròna: Spinwatch, which is set in Hillsboro, Oregon. Many local personalities appear as character inspirations in the series, including Executive Director Julian Gray and Curator Leslie Moclock. “I had never seen dragons guarding the Alma Rose until Tonya brought them to us,” said Moclock, “It’s wonderful to imagine mythical beasts helping us guard our museum treasures!” The event will take place inside the Master Gallery of the museum, where the greatest treasures of the museum and the magic crystals of the book are located. Admission to the museum is included with purchase of the third book, The Gates of Auròna: Spinwatch. All three books in the series will be available for purchase in the museum store, inside at the event, and online through Amazon.com. Craft projects, prizes, and light refreshments will be available. Preregistration is requested at www.thegatesofauronabook3.eventbrite.com

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2017 Northwest Fossil Fest at the Rice Northwest Museum

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The Northwest Fossil Fest sponsored by the North America Research Group (NARG) will take place at the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals on Saturday, August 12, 2017, from 10 AM to 5 PM. The theme for the 12th Annual Northwest Fossil Fest is “Fishing the Past!” The event is free for families to learn about fossils, fossil collecting, preparation, identification, hands on demonstrations, and educational displays. Dr. Edward Davis, University of Oregon will talk on fossil fish from Oregon, including the sabertooth salmon. Paleontologists will be on hand identify fossils and to show kids of all ages how to clean and prepare fossils.  There will be lots of hands on activities and this is a great event for families and fossil fans.  Attendance for the Fossil Fest includes free admission to the museum. For more information and up-to-the-minute information see Northwest Fossil Fest.  

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Summer Festival is Back!

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Our 14th annual Summer Fest 2017 will be at the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals Saturday and Sunday, August 5-6, 2017. The hours are 10 AM – 5 PM. Admission is $5 for everyone ages 5 and up! Geodes and other minerals and rocks for sale at vendor booths. The outdoor festival features a wide variety of rock, mineral, gem, jewelry, and fossil dealers. We will have food for purchase, live music, and plenty of fun family activities. Rock clubs from around the region will be offering wonderful educational displays, demonstrations, and activities. Come early and stay the whole day. The entire museum will be open during this event, so you can explore all our displays after browsing vendors’ tents and creating a “pet rock.” Bring a picnic lunch or enjoy the refreshments at the museum. It’s a perfect event to spend with friends and family. Bring them all!  

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Meteorite and Family Fun Day 2017

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Get ready for this year’s Meteorite and Family Fun Day on Saturday, May 27! We will be welcoming Dick Pugh of the Cascadia Meteorite Laboratory (Portland State University) to give his fascinating talk, “Great Balls of Fire!” at 11 AM and 1 PM. Learn exciting facts about meteorites, fireballs, and outer space. Dick will also bring his large collection of meteorites for visitors to touch and hold. Think you’ve found a meteorite? Bring it in and have Dick examine it to be sure. Family activities will also take place throughout the day. Children and adults alike can make impact craters like those on the moon and figure out how our solar system formed. This event is included with regular museum admission. Schedule of events: 10:30 AM — Activity: Building the planets (NW Gallery) 11:00 AM — Talk: Dick Pugh, Great Balls of Fire! (Lecture Room) 12:30 PM — Activity: Impact craters (NW Gallery) 1:00 PM — Talk: Dick Pugh, Great Balls of Fire! (Lecture Room) 2:00 PM — Tour: 90-minute museum tour (NW Gallery) 2:30 PM — Activity: Building the planets (NW Gallery) 3:30 PM — Activity: Impact craters (NW Gallery)

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It’s almost here! Join us for Thunder-Egg-Stravaganza 2017!

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The egg hunt that “rocks” returns once again! Join us from 10-5 at the Rice Museum on Saturday, April 15, 2017. Admission is $5 for everyone ages 5 and up, and includes admission to the museum galleries. Your mission: locate 4 eggs of different colors around our property and redeem them for prizes. Our prize table includes 2000+ WHOLE thunder eggs. We’ll have volunteers on site all day slicing those thunder eggs in half for FREE so you can be the first to see the surprise inside. Educational talks on thundereggs in the Northwest will take place inside the museum at 11AM, 1PM, and 3PM. Egg hunting is available all day. Frequently asked Questions: Do we need to be there at a certain time to hunt the eggs?  No! To redeem for a prize, you need to find four eggs of certain colors (based on their location on the property, the “egg zones”). That eliminates the “mad dash” of other egg hunts and keeps it fair! You can show up any time between 10 and 4:30 and we promise there will be eggs hidden. Can adults participate? Absolutely! We don’t do age-discrimination here at the Rice Museum, everyone loves a good egg hunt! Do adults have to pay if they’re not participating? Yes, your $5 covers your admission to the museum regardless of if you choose to hunt eggs. That’s reduced from normal $10 admission. Do you sell food? Limited snacks will be available for purchase at our hospitality table, so bring your own lunch or plan to grab it at one of the fabulous nearby restaurants! Keep in mind, we do not allow food inside the museum, so all picnic activities are based on your personal weather tolerance. Do we have to pay for parking? Parking is included with your admission, but it is limited and carpooling is HIGHLY encouraged.

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Event banner reading "The Rice Museum of Rocks & Minerals Benefit Dinner & Silent Auction" in white, background includes image of rough amethyst crystals

Presenting: The Rice Museum Benefit Dinner & Silent Auction!

Events, Local Events, News /

The Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks & Minerals is hosting our first ever benefit dinner! Please join us 6 May 2017 at 5:00 PM to honor Sharleen and William Harvey, Sr. for their years of devotion to the museum. Dr. Jeffrey Post, Curator of Gems & Minerals for the Smithsonian Institution, will deliver a presentation on the Mineral Treasures of the Smithsonian, including the renowned Hope Diamond. He will also present our official certificate of affiliation from the Smithsonian. Other evening highlights will include a silent auction and dinner from The Hive Catering Co. Tickets are $100 per seat. The event will take place at the Glenn & Viola Walters Cultural Arts Center in Hillsboro. Tables are going fast, so don’t wait! Get your tickets today! We wouldn’t be able to hold events without amazing sponsors. We are extremely grateful to: Margaret & Bob McMillan Sharleen Harvey  Bill & Diana Dameron  The Hive Catering Co. Bruce Carter  Paula Stewart -Sponsor the event at any level to add your business name here!-

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Mystery Mineral Day- February 25!

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Mystery Mineral Day is happening Saturday, February 25, from 10 AM to 2 PM at the museum. A panel of experts will be ready and waiting for you to bring your unknown rocks, minerals, fossils, gems, and potential meteorites for identification! Have you always wondered what to call that cool crystal you picked up on a hike that one day? Did you inherit a collection, but it’s missing some labels? Do you think you may have found a fossil bone or a rock from outer space? Our experts are volunteering at this event just for you, so don’t be shy. Come on by! This event is included with general admission.

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Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks & Minerals
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