Pennsylvania - A Keystone Geology: Pieces to Build a Planet - Pennsylvania State University Earth & Mineral Sciences Museum and Art Gallery

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PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY EARTH AND MINERAL SCIENCES MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY

photo © 2000 Randy E. Newcomer

112 Steidle Building, Pollock Road, State College, PA 16802 (814) 865-6427

A D M I S S I O N
Free to all

H O U R S
Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Also by special appointment. Closed weekends and main legal holidays,
including the University's Christmas-through-New Year's Day recess.

M U S E U M D I R E C T O R
Dr. Andrew Sicree

The Earth and Mineral Sciences Museum at the Pennsylvania State University in State College, PA, is a unique mineral museum. Our main gallery display includes displays of fine minerals such as azurite and "velvet" malachite from Bisbee, Arizona, and amazonite crystals from the Pikes' Peak, Colorado area. In addition to collections of rocks, minerals, and fossils totaling more than 66,000 specimens, the Museum maintains collections of glasses, ceramics, metals, plastics, synthetic materials, old mining and scientific equipment, and archaeological artifacts. Many of these specimens are on display, while the others are available for research and educational purposes.

The country's most extensive collection of paintings and sculpture depicting mining and related industries is on display in the Museum. Also, the Museum houses the world's most extensive collection of mineral properties exhibits. These "push-button" electro-mechanical exhibits demonstrating dozens of the electrical, optical, and physical properties of minerals and materials such as fluorescence, radioactivity, magnetism, conductivity, flexibility, triboluminescence, piezoelectricity, double refraction, resistivity, and much more. Other displays include a collection of more than 100 mine safety lamps and scientific instruments and specimens belonging to Frederick Augustus Genth, the famous mineralogist.

The Museum serves both as a teaching tool for University courses and as an educational institution, bringing to the general public an appreciation for minerals, mining, and the materials sciences. Stop in for a visit soon.

Donations Encouraged: The Penn State Earth and Mineral Sciences Museum gratefully accepts financial contributions and applies these donations to furthering the Museum's educational and scientific purposes. Donations of minerals, rocks, and fossils, as well as old mining equipment, antique scientific instruments, and unique glasses, ceramics, metals, and materials similar to those on display, are also gratefully accepted. Penn State Alumni and all others interested in becoming a "Friend of the Museum" are urged to write to the director at the above address.

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