One of our favorite fall events is the
Clackamette Mineral and Gem Club's annual show. This is an excellent way to learn some earth science, with free admission. One of the highlights is always their fluorescent mineral show. The gentleman who does this show has a spectacular collection, even larger than the collection at the
Rice NW Museum of Rocks and Minerals. He explains how fluorescence and phosphorescence work in great detail. In addition to rocks of every color, he has some other interesting things that fluoresce, such as some special sea shells, and his son's baby teeth. This year, they even had a table of fluorescent minerals for sale at super low prices. Two members also had an excellent demonstration of gold panning, with gold they actually panned themselves, and even allowed kids to give it a try.
The Clackamette Club, like most of the local rockhound clubs, is inexpensive to join, and they typically have wonderful guest speakers on various aspects of minerals and gems. Earlier this year, their speakers included one of Oregon's foremost experts on Oregon fossils, a gentleman who does dazzling photography of tiny crystals through a microscope, and an expert on local arrowheads. Like other local rockhound clubs, they offer a special youth group which work together on a program to earn patches, but kids are welcome to attend the adult lectures as well. In the warmer months, they host scores of field trips across the state, many of which are on land which requires special permission for rock collecting. If your children are at all interested in geology, it's definitely worth checking out this club or another near you. Two others include
Tualatin Valley Gem Club in Forest Grove, and
Mt. Hood Rock Club in Gresham.
One of our favorite fall events is the Clackamette Mineral and Gem Club's annual show. This is an excellent way to learn some earth science, with free admission. One of the highlights is always their fluorescent mineral show. The gentleman who does this show has a spectacular collection, even larger than the collection at the Rice NW Museum of Rocks and Minerals. He explains how fluorescence and phosphorescence work in great detail. In addition to rocks of every color, he has some other interesting things that fluoresce, such as some special sea shells, and his son's baby teeth. This year, they even had a table of fluorescent minerals for sale at super low prices. Two members also had an excellent demonstration of gold panning, with gold they actually panned themselves, and even allowed kids to give it a try. 
The Clackamette Club, like most of the local rockhound clubs, is inexpensive to join, and they typically have wonderful guest speakers on various aspects of minerals and gems. Earlier this year, their speakers included one of Oregon's foremost experts on Oregon fossils, a gentleman who does dazzling photography of tiny crystals through a microscope, and an expert on local arrowheads. Like other local rockhound clubs, they offer a special youth group which work together on a program to earn patches, but kids are welcome to attend the adult lectures as well. In the warmer months, they host scores of field trips across the state, many of which are on land which requires special permission for rock collecting. If your children are at all interested in geology, it's definitely worth checking out this club or another near you. Two others include Tualatin Valley Gem Club in Forest Grove, and Mt. Hood Rock Club in Gresham.
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