Geology Museum celebrates Earth Science Week and new meteorite exhibit

Published: October 14, 2009

CLEMSON — In celebration of Earth Science Week, the Bob Campbell Geology Museum will host an open house from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18, with tours of the museum at Clemson University and family activities to learn more about the Earth, all free of charge.

A new exhibit opens Oct. 18 that features meteorites from around South Carolina with explanations of how these space objects originate and how to spot them in the sky. The exhibit will help educate visitors about the Leonid meteor shower that occurs in mid-November.  

Also at the open house visitors can bring in fossils or other treasures (limit four, please) and talk with museum curators who will be available to answer questions. Family activities include sieving for minerals and shark teeth, painting T-shirts with natural materials, face painting and more.

“We are excited to celebrate Earth Science Week and our new exhibit with an open house,” said Christian Cicimurri, education curator for the museum. “It promises to be a fun and interactive way for people of all ages to learn more about the Earth and about space.”

Earth Science Week is sponsored by the American Geological Institute to help the public gain a better understanding and appreciation for the Earth sciences and to encourage stewardship of the Earth. This year's Earth Science Week is being celebrated around the world this week. For more information, visit www.earthsciweek.org/.

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The Bob Campbell Geology Museum at Clemson University strives to enrich people’s lives by stimulating their curiosity and fostering a greater awareness and understanding of the complex, dynamic nature of geology. The museum illustrates geologic principles with examples from the southeastern United States and around the world and demonstrates interrelationships between geology, botany and the human experience.

The Bob Campbell Geology Museum is located in the South Carolina Botanical Garden on the campus of Clemson University near the intersection of U.S. 76 and Perimeter Road. The museum is partially supported by the state of South Carolina via Clemson University, but relies on private funding, memberships and proceeds from educational events to continue operations.

For more information, contact the Geology Museum at 864-656-4600, email bcgm@clemson.edu or visit www.clemson.edu/geomuseum/.