The Explore All 50 States Project
Let's Go!
The Turquoise Museum sits in a little mini mall located in a storefront but don't be fooled this is a fantastic stop to learn all about this gemstone that has played such a huge part in Southwestern design and culture. We walked through a simulated turquoise mine shaft and then into the rest of the museum where our first stop was a room with displays of some really big and unusual turquoise stones. The museum … [Read more...]
When Isaac heard we were going on the Old Hundred Gold Mine Tour it's all he could talk about-he was determined to find some nuggets. We drove a little up into the mountains to get to the mine and the scenery was incredible, in fact the road followed a real "babbling brook" that flowed down to the river below. After checking in we Got dressed up in our gear-which consisted of a hard hat and a yellow "lab coat" type … [Read more...]
Located on the campus of Montana Tech University, The Mineral Museum exhibits 1300 specimens—just a fraction of their actual collection. What I thought would be just a quick walk through took more time as everyone “oohed” and “ahhhed” at the amazing mineral, crystal, and rock formations—some that even glow in the dark! Here I thought the kids might find it all boring and on the contrary, they were totally … [Read more...]
Mining played a huge roll in Montana's history and you can learn all about it at the World Museum of Mining. Seems like my kids were struck with mining fever just like the miners who came here long ago and so they could not wait to get here to learn about the equipment and the techniques necessary to hit the mother lode. Walking around we saw the massive tools and machinery used to mine the various minerals that are … [Read more...]
Digging at the Spokane Bar Sapphire Mine was so much fun! Many gems can be found in Montana, but sapphires are particularly abundant and can be found in the ancient riverbeds. Shari. the kids and I could not wait to get digging to find some treasure. We checked in at the rock shop and were given a brief overview of the types of rocks and gems that we might find. We then followed our guide up the hill to the dig … [Read more...]
