| Exhibits |
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entirely new meteorite exhibit was installed in December 2005
that showcases a fine selection of meteorites including important
specimens recently donated by David Bowers and Don Edwards.
It also features an original video based on the research of
Professor Sarah Stewart-Mukhopadhyay. |
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| Additions
to the Catalogue |
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In
2005 thirty-eight acquisitions were made that enriched
the collections enhancing the museum's capacity to
support research, teaching and exhibitions.
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| Forrest
and Barbara Cureton are well known mineral dealers now retired.
From their very extensive species collection they donated
185 type and scientifically studied specimens. This is the
most important gift of this kind ever received by the museum. |
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A
multi year gift of ~3,000 mineral specimens from some 80+
localities in Namibia from an alumnus was completed in 2005.
Highlights include a strong suite of aquamarine, tourmaline
and associated crystals from miarolitic cavities on Erongo
Mountain, amethyst crystals from Tafelkop, andradite ("demantoid")
from Tubusis Farm, and rare species from the Aris quarry.
This added to the museum's fine collection from the famous
copper mine at Tsumeb makes the museum's Namibian holdings
truly exceptional.
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The
3 ct faceted bastnaesite given by Mike & Pat Gray added
a new species to the collection of gems. A particular strength
of this collection is gems from the New England region. A
22 ct datolite from the Lane Quarry in Westfield, MA; an 8
ct yellow beryl from the Slocum Quarry in Easthampton, CT;
and a 406 ct green fluorite from the Wise Mine in Westmoreland,
NH are significant regional additions. A gold bracelet featuring
seven green Brazilian tourmalines is welcome piece of jewelry
because it illustrates gems in their social context.
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| Since
the 1980s Professor H.D. Holland has been studying ancient paleosols,
which are lithified soil horizons, to quantify the timing of
a large rise in atmospheric oxygen at about 2.2 billion years.
This spring prior to relocating Professor Holland donated his
field collections of paleosols from Australia, Canada and South
Africa to the museum for preservation. |
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