Category Archives: Events

The Rice Northwest Rock and Mineral Museum hosts a wide variety of events, festivals, workshops, and classes at the museum.

In February, join us at the museum for Mystery Mineral Day to learn more about geology and have your samples in to have experts identify. Thunder-Egg-Stravanganza is a one-day celebration of thundereggs (the Oregon state rock) held in spring of each year. Come hunt for and have your thundereggs opened by gem cutters. Meteorite and Family Fun Day in May features lectures on meteorites and meteorite experts to identify your meteorites . . . or tell you about your meteorwrongs. Summer Festival is held each year on the first full weekend of August. This two-day event features live music, food, educational demonstrations, and vendors selling minerals, cut and rough gemstones, jewelry, and more.

2017 Events
February 25, 2017 – Mystery Mineral Day
April 15, 2017 – Thunderegg Stravaganza
May 27, 2017 – Meteorite and Family Fun Day
August 5-6, 2017 – Summer Fest
August 12, 2017 – NW Fossil Fest by NARG

This is an archive of the latest events and activities at the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals.

Meteorite and Family Fun Day 2017

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2017_meteorite

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)

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.

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A 2016 participant shows off his freshly cut geode from the prize redemption table.

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.

Presenting: The Rice Museum Benefit Dinner & Silent Auction!

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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.

National Museum of Natural History

The Hope Diamond, photo courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution

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:

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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!-

Purchase Tickets

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.

ALMA ROSE ON EXHIBIT IN TUCSON-See this iconic specimen and many more!

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A photo of the Alma Rose rhodochrosite specimen, it is a black rock with gray and yellow crystal formations and 6 large rhodochrosite cubes. Featured on a black background.

The Alma Rose, Photo by Jeff Scovil

We’re headed to Tucson, Arizona for the biggest mineral event of the year! We’re proud to be the featured collector at the Westward Look Fine Mineral Show and and will also be exhibiting at the 2017 Tucson Gem and Mineral Show®.

 

The Alma Rose rhodochrosite specimen made the trip! See it and more of our amazing collection on Saturday, February 4, from 10AM-4PM, and meet & greet with Executive Director Julian C. Gray and Curator Leslie Moclock at:

The Westward Look Resort
245 East Ina Road
Tucson, Arizona 85704

Learn more about the Fine Mineral Show here.

The Alma Rose will also be exhibited at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show® from February 9-12. Learn more here!

Tucson Convention Center
260 S Church Ave
Tucson, AZ 85701

If you can’t make it to Tucson and are headed to the museum, the Alma Rose will be back on exhibit in Hillsboro on 2/16/17. Even though we miss the Alma Rose, the Rice Museum is open our regular hours of 1PM-5PM Wednesday-Friday and 10AM-5PM Saturday-Sunday.

Bring the museum to your classroom free on January 12

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Hey teachers–would you like your students to experience the Rice Museum for free from the comfort of your own classroom?

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On Thursday, January 12, we will be participating in an interactive livestream event through FieldTripZoom. Curator Leslie Moclock will take your students on a tour of our phenomenal collection of petrified wood. You’ll learn all about how wood fossils form and what they can tell us about Earth’s history, from ancient life to modern mountain building.

This presentation addresses topics including ancient life, fossilization, regional geography, climate, and volcanoes. It’s geared for earth science students in grades 4-6 but those who are a little younger or a little older can appreciate it as well.

Join us next Thursday to delve deeper into Earth Science!

What: Phenomenal Petrified Wood (Grades 4-6)

Where: Your classroom, tuning into the Rice Museum via Field Trip Zoom

When: Thursday, Jan 12. Live sessions at 8:10 AM, 9:10 AM, and 12:10 PM (Pacific time)

How: If your district, classroom, or homeschool group is not subscribed to FieldTripZoom, you can access this program via a free trial. Simply send an email to freetrial@fieldtripzoom.com and request the Rice Museum’s program for January 12. (After following the link, you will have to scroll down to find our museum’s program details.)

If you are already subscribed, just log in to your account and select our program from the Zone Calendar.

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FieldTripZoom partners with museums and other educational institutions all over the US to facilitate unique live and interactive educational experiences between educational content providers and K-12 educators, students and homeschoolers. We are pleased to host this opportunity on their platform.

Veterans and Active Military receive FREE admission Veteran’s Day

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To honor those who have or are serving in our nation’s military, the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks an Minerals will admit all veterans and active military free of charge on Veteran’s Day (Friday, November 11, 2016).  We thank all the brave men and women who serve our country to preserve the freedoms we enjoy.

The museum will be open to the public regular business hours, which are 1:00 to 5:00 PM.  Please remember to bring your military ID with you.

2016 Northwest Fossil Fest at the Rice Northwest Museum

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2016 NW FOssil Fest PosterThe 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 13, 2016, from 10 AM to 5 PM.

The Theme for the 11th Annual Northwest Fossil Fest Fossil Teeth!

The event is free for families to learn about fossils, fossil collecting, preparation, identification, hands on demonstrations, and educational displays. There will also be two great talks.  The first will be Dr. John Bershaw of the Geology Department at Portland State University. He will be talking about how he uses fossil teeth to measure changes in chemistry that tell us something about how the past environment changed.  Victor Perez of the University of Florida will present a talk entitled “The Giant Megalodon and what we know about it from Teeth.”

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.

Summer Fest August 6-7, 2016

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Our annual Summer Fest 2016 will be at the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals Saturday and Sunday, August 6-7, 2016. This year will be bigger than ever! The hours are 10 AM – 5 PM. Admission is only $5, and kids 17 and under are FREE.

Geodes and other minerals and rocks for sale at vendor booth.The outdoor festival features a wide variety of rock, mineral, gem, and fossil dealers. We will have food, music, and plenty of fun family activities. Of course, our favorites Fred and Wilma Flintstone will be rolling in on the famous Flintmobile to give “rides” to children and adults.

Rock clubs from around the region will be offering wonderful educational displays, demonstrations, and activities.

The road construction is complete so you will have no problem finding your way through the new interchange at Highway 26 and Helvetia.

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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