News

The Best of the Best

Our new exhibit, “The Best of the Best: Prize Minerals from the Vaults of Arizona’s Collectors” brings together many of the most exquisite minerals from the most admired collections in the state.  Here in Arizona, the passion and science of mineral collecting goes back over a century, and Arizona collectors have gathered many of the finest mineral specimens from around the world.  But this exhibit offers more than dazzling minerals, it brings together the stories behind the minerals – the search, the discovery, the history, and the awe-inspiring science – that makes these specimens come to life and conveys the excitement that inspires the collectors.

Senior Curatorial Specialist Shirley Wetmore retires

The UA Mineral Museum’s special exhibit, “100 Years of Arizona’s Best: The Minerals That Made The State” will commemorate Arizona’s State Centennial with a dazzling display of Arizona minerals on loan from top collectors. Arizona is famous for both its copper wealth and its mineral specimens. This exhibit celebrates the state’s rich mining history with captivating archival photos and a rare chance to see the best of Arizona’s incredible minerals gathered together in one special exhibit.

Meet the Trilobites

Long before the dinosaurs ruled the earth, the trilobites ruled the seas. Ancient relatives of lobsters and horseshoe crabs, trilobites flourished in the warm seas that covered much of Arizona millions of years ago. “Meet the Trilobites – Arizona’s First Inhabitants,” the new exhibit at the Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium, features world-class trilobite fossils from around the globe. Come travel back in time and discover the wondrous world of trilobites!

The Hubert C. de Monmonier Collection

See the beautiful, the classic, the rare, and the worldwide scope of Hubert C. de Monmonier’s unique mineral collection, on display for the very first time. The extraordinary exhibit includes precious metals from gold to platinum, unusual quartz specimens, and 16th century classic texts in mineralogy.

Senior Curatorial Specialist Shirley Wetmore retires

Since her arrival at the University of Arizona in 1975, she has worked tirelessly to maintain and improve the collections, promote the Mineral Museum and educate thousands of visiting schoolchildren in minerals and geology.

Shirley first became a volunteer at the University of Arizona Mineral Museum in 1975, shortly after her arrival in Tucson. It was during this time that she helped organize and catalog the Museum’s collection that dates back to 1891...

Minerals of China

Don’t miss our new exhibit, “Crystalline Treasures: the Mineral Heritage of China.  You’ll see astonishing mineral specimens from China that have never been seen before in a public exhibition.  And you’ll learn about the ancient history and culture of China, a civilization that goes back five thousand years, a civilization that changed the world with the invention of gunpowder, paper, and silk.