Mines Museum

🪨✨ Got a mystery rock, mineral, or fossil? Bring it to the museum for Mineral ID Day and let our experts help uncover what you’ve found!

📅 June 6
⏰ 1:00–4:00 PM

Our panel of specialists will identify up to 3 specimens per person, from sparkling minerals to ancient fossils and everything in between. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or just curious about a backyard find, this is your chance to finally put a name to your mystery treasures!

✨💰 Gold Case Spotlight 💰✨

Step into the vault and explore one of the museum’s most dazzling displays, our Gold Safe! 🔒🌟

This exhibit features a remarkable collection of territorial gold coins on loan courtesy of Mrs. Jan Mayer, alongside stunning natural gold specimens from the Allison-Boettcher Collection. Together, these pieces tell the story of a time when gold wasn’t just treasured, it was money. 🪙⛏️

From historic coins to brilliant native gold, this case offers a glimpse into the legacy of the Gold Rush era and the role gold played in shaping the American West.

Come see these glittering pieces of history up close! ✨🌎

🎓 Caps Off. Crystals On. 💎
Looking for the perfect graduation gift for your favorite Oredigger? We’ve got gifts that rock — literally.

From stunning minerals and fossils to Mines merch, jewelry, desk specimens, and one-of-a-kind treasures, the Museum Store is packed with gifts worthy of a hard-earned degree. ⛏️✨

Whether they survived ChemE, conquered senior design, or just spent four years running on coffee and Calc III… they deserve something unforgettable.

📍Stop by the Mines Museum Store
🕙 Open daily 10 AM–4 PM
🎁 Unique gifts for grads, alumni, and proud families

🪨📦 Big things are happening behind the scenes at the Mines Museum!

Right now, our amazing volunteers are hard at work packaging 15,000 rocks for the Jefferson County Public Library Summer Challenge, and we couldn’t do it without them. Their time, energy, and dedication are helping bring hands-on geology to our community in a huge way. Thank you to every volunteer making this possible! 💙

Get ready to join the adventure:
📅 June 1 – July 31

The Summer Challenge is all about exploring, learning, and trying something new, through reading, creativity, and discovery (yes, even outside!). Participants can earn points, win prizes, and spark new interests all summer long.

👉 Sign up and learn more: https://jeffcolibrary.org/summer-challenge/

Stop by the museum to see the action in progress and celebrate the incredible teamwork bringing this project to life!

⛏️🌄 Ready to hit the field?

The Mines Museum Store is now stocked with field tools, equipment, and supplies: perfect for geology students gearing up for field camp, beginners starting their rock collection journey, or anyone looking to spend more time exploring the outdoors.

From Rite in the Rain field notebooks (in a variety of colors!) to rock hammers, compasses, hand lenses, magnifying glasses, and durable pens, we’ve got the essentials to get you started and keep you going in any conditions.

Whether you’re mapping outcrops, identifying minerals, or just enjoying time in the field, these tools are built to go wherever your curiosity takes you.

Stop by and gear up, your next discovery is out there. 🪨✨