Museums and Mineral Displays

Northern California has an immense mineral heritage, and boasts not only a large and active mineralogical and lapidary hobbyist community but also some of the premier private mineral collections in the country. It is therefore surprising that mineralogy is virtually ignored by the various museums and scientific academies in the greater Bay Area.

Sadly, it now appears certain that the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco will no longer have a permanent gem and mineral exhibit when it moves back to its renovated facilities in Golden Gate Park. However, the Academy has no plan to dispose of its collection -- like the Philadephia Academy recently did -- and it will continue to display specimens locally in temporary exhibits. These include a substantial exhibit at the SFO International Terminal which recently opened and will be available for viewing through February 2008.

In relegating its mineral and gem collection to caretaker status, the California Academy would appear to be following in the footsteps of the San Diego Natural History Museum, which has "temporarily" de-funded activities and exhibitions related to its 26,000 specimen mineral collection so it can spend more money on its role as the "Biodiversity Research Center of the Californias."

Here are the most noteworthy mineral and earth science exhibits which Bay Area enthusiasts might visit on relatively short day or weekend trips.

I. The California State Mining and Mineral Museum in Mariposa, CA

Those of us in the immediate Bay Area suffered a loss in 1983 when the state mineral collection was moved from the Ferry Building in San Francisco and relocated to a facility in Mariposa. However, the greater distance should not discourage you from visiting the CSMMM, which offers a fine set of exhibits even if the building's physical size only allows a small fraction of the best specimens to be shown. The Museum is easy to find, and requires only a slight detour on a trip to Yosemite or Bass Lake.

NorCal mineral dealer John Veevaert (Trinity Minerals) has posted an excellent report (with great photos) on his website describing his visit to the CSMMM.

A fund has been established for development of a new Museum facility. They need it.

We have recently heard that the curator, Peggy Ronning, is leaving for a position at another museum. No word yet on whether a replacement has been found.

II. Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA

Stanford has a fine permanent mineral exhibit open to the public in the Mitchell Earth Sciences Building (map). Most specimens are in the Branner Library on the second floor (take the spiral staircase or elevator directly up from the main entrance), though some are in the lobby and other parts of the building. The minerals on display really are superb.

III. The Crater Rock Museum in Central, Oregon

OK, why include an Oregon museum in this list? Driftmine's reasons are: (1) it is a truly outstanding small museum; (2) it is close to Ashland, which many of us visit for the Shakespeare festival, and in any event is just a stone's throw from Interstate 5 if you're headed north; (3) it is not well known, so we want to raise folks' awareness of it; and (4) it is an outstanding small museum (oh, we said that already). The museum has exceptional exhibits of thundereggs and other agates, and Clay Canyon variscites (several of which were displayed at Tuscon in 2006). Most importantly, the museum exhibits specimens from a collection of significant, world-class minerals donated by an anonymous benefactor - including the huge Sweet Home rhodochrosite named the "Alma Mater." You must check this museum out if you're in the area.

IV. The Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland, CA

This may also seem odd to include in a mineral museum list. However, Chabot has a fine display of meteorites, including some extraordinarily large specimens. There is a particularly impressive pallasite (stony-iron meteorite) well worth a look.

V. The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County in Los Angeles, CA

This is the pre-eminent California gem and mineral museum exhibit. It's quite a distance to travel from the Bay Area, but this would be a good add-on to a trip to LA.