Fill your kids summer days with fun sports and games on our 22 acres of property. Let them experiment with many different parts of STEAM including chemistry, biology, engineering, technology, physics, geology, math, and even fine arts in our air conditioned classroom! Led by experienced teachers, along with special community guests and experts, with exclusive time reserved for touring and studying our Museum. Learn more here.
Do you know the name of the spectacular violet-blue gemstone that is found in only one place in the world? Answer: Tanzanite Tanzanite was discovered in the northern region of Tanzania in 1967, by a Maasai Tribesman, who stumbled upon it by accident. It wasn’t long before miners moved in and began unearthing the gem, but it was renowned retailer Tiffany & Co., that made it famous. In 1968, realizing the market potential for this new gem, Tiffany & Co. made arrangements to be the main distributor of tanzanite. The retailer launched tanzanite with a huge marketing and publicity blitz that made it an immediate sensation. One of tanzanite’s most interesting attributes is that it is pleochroic, which means that when you hold a tanzanite and move it around, you see three colors — blue, purple and yellow, or brown.The stones are generally cut to bring out either the blue or purple tones of the gem, which are often heated to remove the yellow and brown hues. Tanzanite crystal. Several years ago, gemstone carver Naomi Sarna visited the tanzanite mines in Tanzania to select a piece of rough to carve for an international competition. At the time the Tanzanian government did not allow tanzanite larger than one gram to be exported. In fact, to get a large enough piece of rough tanzanite, Sarna had to start carving at the mine, working with a flashlight, in a rubble strewn room, finishing it when she returned to her studio. The result was L’Heure Bleu sculpture, which won a First-Place Spectrum Award for carving from the American Gem Trade Association Partially carved L’Heure Bleu tanzanite. L’Heure Bleu tanzanite being weighed. Photo by Shawn Linehan. On Saturday, March 9, 2024 a Guinness World Records™ was set at the Museum by L’Heure Bleu. It was verified as the world’s largest cut tanzanite – at 703.4 carats – by two independent witnesses and a Guinness adjudicator. The expert witnesses, Jessie English of J.S. English Appraisals and Madeline Sanders of Oregon Estate Jewelry, weighed L’Heure Bleu on two separate scales. They then examined the tanzanite and performed tests to make sure it was not another material, such as glass. After these tasks were completed, the Guinness adjudicator verified and announced the results to the crowd that was present for the event. Expert witness Jessie English examining L’Heure Bleu tanzanite. Photo by Shawn Linehan. Naomi Sarna presented with Guinness World Records Achievement for Largest Cut Tanzanite by Guinness Adjudicator. Photo by Shawn Linehan. Touched by the community and the poverty she witnessed while teaching the Maasai women how to make jewelry from tanzanite, Sarna announced that profits from the sale of the L’Heure Bleu carving would go to the Maasai to provide eye care for the community through the world recognized Casey Eye Institute of Portland, Oregon.
World Record for Largest Cut Tanzanite Set at Museum Read More »
This event is sold out. Click here for event details.
Thunder-Egg-Stravaganza Tickets On Sale NOW! Read More »
GO TO TICKETING PAGE The egg hunt that “rocks” returns once again! Join us at Rice Museum on Saturday, April 20, 2019. Admission is $8 for everyone ages 5 and up, and includes admission to the museum galleries. Advanced online ticket purchase is required. 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 to cut your thunder eggs open for FREE so you can be the first to see the surprise inside. Educational talks on thunder eggs in the Northwest will take place inside the museum at 11:00 AM, and 2:00 PM. Egg hunting is available all day. All ticket sales are final. No refunds for weather. ADVANCED ONLINE TICKET PURCHASE REQUIRED Due to the overwhelming popularity of this event, we require pre-purchased tickets to enter the museum grounds for this event. Members are admitted free, but must still reserve tickets. Tickets for pre-sale! Tickets are $8 for ages 5 and up, and ages 4 and under are free. Members are free but must sign up for a member ticket. Reserve your tickets below. Member tickets are available 3/11/19. General admission tickets are available starting 4/1/19 at 9:00am. Consider buying a membership. Your membership not only supports the museum’s educational programs, it has great benefits like early registration and free admission to events like this one. Morning and Afternoon Admission. We are limiting the number of tickets sold and offering two opportunities to attend Thunder-Egg-Stravaganza: a morning and afternoon admission window. If you purchase an AM ticket, you can get in through the front gate any time between 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM. If you purchase a PM ticket, you can get in through the front gate any time between 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM. We have plenty of thunder eggs and will not run out. The event will be the same all day long, regardless of whether you show up at 10:00 or 3:30. Last admission at 4:00 PM. The grounds will be open until 5:00 PM. Frequently Asked Questions: Can I pay for admission at the gate?No additional admissions will be sold once this event is sold out. This event is very popular and we recommend online ticket reservation (for members) or purchase (not-yet members) as early as possible. 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 plastic 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 in your admission window and we promise there will be eggs hidden. Can adults participate?Absolutely! Children of all ages are welcome to participate at the Rice Museum. Everyone loves a good egg hunt. Do adults have to pay if they’re not participating?Yes, your $8 covers your admission to the museum regardless of if you choose to hunt eggs. That price is reduced from our $12 general admission. If I’m in the AM group and I show up at 12:30, can I stay past 1:00?Yes. Youâ’re welcome to stay as long as youâ’d like once you’re admitted. I’m in the PM group but I showed up at 12:30 to get in line, can I come in?No. You will not be able to park or enter the grounds until 1 PM so we can minimize traffic congestion. Can I bring my own thunder eggs from home and have you cut them?No. Our volunteers are here to cut thunder eggs from this event only. Please ask for a recommendation for local cutters if you have your own thunder eggs to cut. 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 from one of the fabulous nearby restaurants. Keep in mind, we do not allow food or drink inside the museum. Do we have to pay for parking?Parking is included with your admission, but it is limited and carpooling is HIGHLY encouraged.
Thunder-Egg-Stravaganza 2019 Read More »
Our popular guided tours are now available Saturday AND Sunday! Guided tours are included with admission and start at 2:00 PM on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and last for approximately 90 minutes. Get here a few minutes early to purchase your admission, then meet your knowledgeable museum host at the entrance of the Northwest Gallery at 2:00 PM to join the fun. Tours are appropriate for all ages and cover the whole museum.
Guided Tours: Now On Sunday! Read More »
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!
New Topaz Crystals from Pakistan now on exhibit Read More »
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!
Donor-Sponsored School Tours Top 1,000 Students for 2018 Read More »
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!
Rice Museum’s Summer Fest – August 4 & 5, 2018 Read More »
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.
Volcano Day is June 2, 2018! Read More »
Mystery Mineral Day is happening Saturday, February 24, 2018 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. Admission is $12.00 for adults, $10.00 for seniors, and $8.00 for students (ages 5-17) and veterans/active military. Children 4 and under are free.
Mystery Mineral Day- February 24, 2018! Read More »
