News

Latest news and announcements from the Rice Northwest Rock and Mineral Museum.

Bring Your Finds to Mystery Mineral Day February 23, 2019

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Mark your calendars for the next Mystery Mineral Day, scheduled for Saturday, February 23, 2019 in the Northwest Gallery. This always-anticipated event runs from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm and is included with admission to the museum. Every year, the Museum organizes a panel of experts in the fields of rock & mineral identification, fossil study, and meteorite analysis. We bring together experts from multiple fields to inspect your “mystery” finds and tell you what you’ve found. Represented organizations include: The North America Research Group (NARG), a prominent local fossil study organization The Cascadia Meteorite Laboratory (CML), the leading Oregon resource for meteorite identification, based at Portland State University Noted mineral collectors on the Museum’s Board of Directors; past experts included Gene Meieran, Scott Akenbrand, and Bruce Carter Staff from the Rice NW Museum of Rocks and Minerals, including Curator Julian Gray One of the exciting opportunities you can take advantage of is the chance to present potential meteorites to the panel. Most such specimens turn out to be “meteor-wrongs” and end up being slag, parts of old tools, or other man-made objects. But not always. In 1999 Donald Wesson and his wife Debbie discovered a large, interesting rock in a ditch in Oregon’s Morrow County and carried it home. After 10 years of storage, Mr. Wesson was inspired by a television show about meteorites to take the rock to a local county fair. Experts there were intrigued, and eventually, the 40-lb. rock was indeed verified as a meteorite. The Wessons sold their find, and in late 2018, it was acquired permanently by the Rice NW Museum and is now on display here. If you’ve got an old specimen laying around that you’ve always wondered about, bring it in! Gravels from the Willamette River and the Pacific Ocean beaches are a specialty every year, and our panel excels in identifying agates, jasper, quartz, and petrified wood. Mystery Mineral Day is also a great opportunity to show off any noteworthy discoveries you made recently, to make the curator aware of your finds. In 2018, local collector Mike Kaufman brought in some excellent amethyst and quartz specimens he discovered in Tillamook County along a logging road in Oregon’s Coast Range. A pair of the noteworthy pieces are now on display thanks to Mike’s generous loan to the Museum.

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Major Oregon Meteorite finds new home at the Rice Museum

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The Rice NW Museum of Rocks and Minerals recently acquired the famed Morrow County meteorite, a 40-lb. specimen discovered by Donald Wesson in 1999 in Morrow County, Oregon. The cone-shaped space rock was already on display as part of a loaned exhibit, but is now a part of the permanent collection. The Morrow County meteorite is noteworthy as an oriented specimen, meaning it did not tumble as it fell through Earth’s atmosphere. Instead, it settled into a fixed position, much like NASA’s famed Apollo spacecraft as they returned to Earth. The exterior of the Morrow County meteorite has distinctive flow lines left behind as heat from its fiery passage through the atmosphere melted away its surface.  It also has a distinctive yellowish color due to weathering. There is a notable anomaly to the Morrow County specimen. There is speculation that the tip of the meteorite’s cone was broken off when farm machinery encountered it. More recently, scientists sawed off a large section from the base to aid in identification. The Morrow County meteorite is of great interest to scientists.  A team of researchers at The Cascadia Meteorite Laboratory (CML) at Portland State University positively identified the rock as a meteorite.  Further research by CML scientists Melinda Hutson, Alex Ruzicka, and Dick Pugh revealed that the Morrow County meteorite was once part of an asteroid that collided with another object 460 million years ago.  The collision produced multiple fragments, one of which would eventually become the Morrow County meteorite after its journey to Earth. “This is fantastic news for Oregon collectors and meteorite enthusiasts,” noted executive director Julian Gray. “We have been trying to acquire this specimen for years, and we are especially proud to be able to bring this specimen ‘home’ to Oregon. This important acquisition reinforces the Rice Museum’s commitment to the Pacific Northwest rockhounding community and to the preservation of scientifically important specimens. We hope that stories like the discovery of the Morrow County meteorite will spur other collectors to find the next Oregon meteorite.” he added. Gray also expressed thanks to the Rice Museum curator. “This was a great trade. I want to express special thanks to curator Leslie Moclock, who completed the trade with famed mineral collector Ed Thompson. We appreciate Ed’s dedication to our museum.” The museum also acquired a new 125-pound Campo del Cielo iron meteorite specimen, and it, too is on immediate display. The two new meteorites were traded for the museum’s 200-lb. Gibeon meteorite specimen, a common iron meteorite from Namibia. The Campo del Cielo iron meteorite is an interesting addition to the museum’s “hands-on” display, because unlike many mineral specimens, the Campo actually benefits from human contact. The surface, when first discovered, tends to be rusty and can flake. The oils in our skin, combined with handling, tends to clean and polish the surface. “The oil from human hands is like magic for the care and curation of any Campo Del Cielo,” Thompson explained. The museum invites visitors to explore the entire meteorite collection to learn more about these fascinating rocks from space.

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New Topaz Crystals from Pakistan now on exhibit

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A spectacular new specimen of topaz and smoky quartz crystals is now on exhibit at the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals. This exhibit was recently donated by long-time museum supporters Sharon Meieran and Fred Cirillo. The overall specimen, which stands over 14-inches tall, contains two large sherry-colored topaz crystals in a matrix of white/gray clevelandite (a variety of albite feldspar). Several large smoky quartz crystals tower over the topaz crystals. The minerals were found in the Shigar River Valley in the Himalayan Mountains of Pakistan, an area known the world over as a source of many varieties of gems including tourmaline and aquamarine. Spectacular specimens like this one occur in deposits at elevations of 8,000 to 13,000 feet above sea level. If gem crystals are able to grow into an open cavity as they form, we get these amazing and showy rocks. One of the reasons we close on Mondays and Tuesdays is so that we can perform case cleaning, maintenance and installation of new exhibits such as this one. We received several other fine mineral donations in the last month. Look for these to be on exhibit in the museum soon. If you would like to come see the new specimen, Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals is open special Holiday Hours this Wednesday-Sunday from 10:00 AM-5:00 PM. Happy holidays from all of us at Rice Northwest Museum!

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2019 Reciprocal Membership Calendar

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Thinking of buying or renewing a membership to Rice NW Museum this year? For the fourth year, museums and attractions in the Portland metro area and beyond have teamed up to offer a reciprocal membership program in 2019. Members of the Portland Attractions Marketing Alliance (PAMA) initiated this special promotion as a way to show appreciation for each attraction’s loyal members, as well as to highlight the important role that cultural attractions play in the community. PAMA is excited to announce that all twelve participating attractions will again be sponsoring a free admission month as part of this popular program. Through 2019, membership to one of the organizations listed below is your key to free admission for up to four people during the months listed below: 2019 Reciprocal Membership Calendar:  January: Oregon Zoo 4001 SW Canyon Road Portland, OR 97221 oregonzoo.org February: Oregon Historical Society 1200 SW Park Avenue Portland, OR 97205 ohs.org March: Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum 500 NE Captain Michael King Smith Way McMinnville, OR 97128 evergreenmuseum.org April: Washington County Museum 17677 NW Springville Road Portland, OR 97229 washingtoncountymuseum.org May: Architectural Heritage Center 701 SE Grand Avenue Portland, OR 97214 visitahc.org June: Columbia River Maritime Museum 1792 Marine Drive Astoria, OR 97103 crmm.org July: Deepwood Museum & Gardens 1116 Mission Street SE Salem, OR 97302 Parking on 12th & Lee deepwoodmuseum.org August: Clark County Historical Museum 1511 Main Street Vancouver, WA 98660 cchmuseum.org September: Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks & Minerals 26385 NW Groveland Drive Hillsboro, OR 97124 ricenorthwestmuseum.org October: World Forestry Center 4033 SW Canyon Road Portland, OR 97221 worldforestry.org November: Oregon Coast Aquarium 2820 SE Ferry Slip Road Newport, OR 97365 aquarium.org December: Lan Su Chinese Garden 239 NW Everett Street Portland, OR 97209 lansugarden.org Rice NW Museum memberships are valid one calendar year from date of purchase and start at just $50 and they make great holiday gifts. Visit our membership page or the museum store to join us today! Members must present a valid membership card from one of the participating organizations to receive free admission. Free admission is valid for up to four  individuals, regardless of membership level.

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Donor-Sponsored School Tours Top 1,000 Students for 2018

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Nothing fills a museum with energy like school children on field trips. It’s always a pleasure to hear them marvel at our various exhibits of rocks, minerals, fossils, meteorites, gold, and gems. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals is proud to offer financial aid for qualifying schools and keep those hallways packed. With the end of the year rapidly approaching, we thought it would be a good time to update our followers about the program. For background, the program began two years ago with a gift from a new benefactor. In 2018, we raised additional funds at the annual Benefit Dinner, specifically earmarked to help subsidize school trips for in-need communities. Qualifying schools may visit the museum, or we can send offsite programs to their classrooms. The goal is simple – to make sure kids of all backgrounds can experience how we can make earth science education fun.  Schools can receive up to 75% of their program fees to be covered by our donors, based on the percentage of students who qualify for free and reduced lunches. To date this year, the museum subsidized 19 school visits, mostly for grades 3 and 4, and served over 1,100 kids. This week, a group of 5th graders made the trek from the Centennial School District, on the far east side of the area Rice NW Museum serves. The students learned about the rock cycle, how minerals form, how fossilization occurs, about mining, and about the volcanoes and earthquakes common in our region.  If you would like to learn more about donating to the program, you can find more information on our Donations page. To book a field trip or classroom visit to the Rice NW Museum for your school, please visit the For Teachers page and fill out the program form. We can review your financial aid status after you fill out the booking form. We are accepting reservations through June 2019 and look forward to seeing your students, so sign up today!

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Thank you for another amazing year.

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Thank you for your continued support. Because of you, we were able to develop rich and relevant exhibit content, fund financial aid for schoolchildren, facilitate community events, and create engaging programming and innovative experiences for guests of all ages within and beyond the walls of the Museum. Thanks to our supporters, 2018 was a truly incredible year. The mission of the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals is to engage, inspire, and educate generations on the splendor and complexities of our Earth. Last year, we demonstrated that together we have the power to accomplish many goals. Here are a few ways in which we fulfilled our mission in 2018: Engage • Record breaking attendance at the Museum and all events: 33,000 visitors and counting. • Created bilingual exhibits to reflect the diversity of our community. Inspire • Sponsored hundreds of kids to bring programs to Title I schools, improving access for students who otherwise might not get to experience the Museum. Educate • Reached more than 9000 school children on field trips to the museum.• Community outreach at festivals and events around the Pacific Northwest.• Taken our STEM programming into dozens of schools in the Portland area. What’s next? We are proud of the tremendous progress we have made together, both at the Museum and in the community. Now, it is time, through your support, to make 2019 even better. We rely on your donations to help keep our future fresh and vibrant. While admission fees and museum store purchases cover our operating expenses, we rely on donations for new exhibits, events and programs, and for reaching thousands of school children every year on field trips. Your investment will be used wisely. While continuing to care for our collection and historic building, we want to upgrade our exhibit cases and security system in order to make the most of the Smithsonian Affiliations loan program and to borrow from other outstanding collections from our friends around the country. We call upon all donors now to join us on our mission to engage, inspire, and educate generations on the splendor and complexity of our Earth! There are many ways to support the museum. There are many ways to give. Donate online or contact us now to donate in another way. All donations are powerful. Please give what you can today. Thank you, we look forward to seeing you often at the Rice Museum.

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Rice Museum’s Summer Fest – August 4 & 5, 2018

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Our 15th annual Summer Fest 2018 will be at the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals Saturday and Sunday, August 4-5, 2018. The hours are 10 AM – 5 PM. Admission is $6 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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Win a Dream Trip to Tuscany!

Events, Local Events, News /

Congratulations to our winner, Steve T.! Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals is offering a chance for a dream trip of a lifetime to Tuscany, Italy.  This vacation is valued at $5600.00. Up to six people can stay in the Tuscan countryside in a three bedroom Private Villa, right in the heart of Tuscany. Property perfectly nestled among the rolling hills surrounding the ancient Etruscan town of Cortona, the ideal place to spend a getaway in the spirit of nature, beauty, relaxation and wine and food. You’ll be hosted by locals who can assist with all your needs. Trip Includes: – 7 nights in a 3 bedroom private countryside villa – Welcome with your local assistant and personal introduction to Cortona – Walking tour of Cortona with a professional guide – Private wine tasting in traditional enoteca in the town center with professional sommelier – Pre-arrival and in-house local English speaking concierge and booking services – All visitor taxes, consumption fees (heating etc) The winner will be announced at 8:00 PM during at our July 14, 2018 Benefit Dinner & Silent Auction. Your attendance is encouraged, but not required. These tickets won’t last long since there are only 100 tickets available, so get yours today! Online ticket sales for the Trip to Tuscany Raffle are now closed.    Restrictions:  – Valid September 15- May 15. – Subject to availability when you book (no more than 9 months in advance of travel). NOT valid Christmas or Easter break. – Vacation is transferable. – Must book by May 31, 2019. – Trip does not include airfare.

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Volcano Day is June 2, 2018!

Events, Local Events, News, Science /

New this year, we are partnering with the USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory to bring you science and family fun at Volcano Day at the Rice Museum.   On Saturday, June 2, 2018, CVO scientists will give short talks throughout the day on our Cascades volcanoes and volcano science. Have a question about the volcanoes in your backyard? Wondering what’s going on with the eruption in Hawai’i? Ask the experts! Hands-on activities for all ages will take place in our galleries and on the lawn. And don’t miss Trash-Cano, the explosive eruption demonstration that will happen after each talk! Local collector Mike Medvec will also be displaying his extensive collection of memorabilia from the famous 1980 eruption at Mt. St. Helens. Don’t miss the fun! Event runs 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Included with regular museum admission.

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2018-2019 Beginning Gemstone Faceting Class Schedule

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This class introduces the theory and techniques of faceting gemstones. During the course, students will facet one or two gemstones with material and equipment provided by the Columbia Willamette Faceters’ Guild. Students will gain sufficient knowledge and techniques to continue faceting on their own. Where: Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals, Faceting Lab, 26385 NW Groveland Drive, Hillsboro, OR 97124 Class Fees: $150.00 per person and advanced payment is required to reserve your spot. When: Consists of four classes from 12:00 PM -5:00 PM for a total of 20 hours of instruction. Classes are either 4 weeks of all Saturdays or 2 weeks of 2 Saturdays/2 Sundays. New this year! Session 5 (January) is a class of 4 Sundays. You can cut, polish, and keep your own gemstone. All equipment and materials are provided. 2018-2019 Class Schedule:  First Session: September 15-16, 22-23, 2018- FULL Second Session: October 3, 13, 20, & 27, 2018- FULL Third Session: November 10-11, 17-28, 2018- FULL Fourth Session: December 1-2, 8-9, 2018- FULL Fifth Session: January 6, 13, 20, & 27, 2019- FULL Sixth Session: February 16-17, 23-24, 2019- GUILD MEMBERS ONLY Seventh Session: March 9-10, 16-17, 2019- FULL Eighth Session: March 30-31, April 6-7, 2019- FULL Ninth Session: April 27, May 4, 11, & 18, 2019- FULL

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Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks & Minerals
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