A geology exhibit in the Nevada State Museum.
Courtesy
The Nevada State Museum in Carson City has a new geology exhibit, according to a news release.
The exhibit, scheduled to open Feb. 21, is in the Changing Earth Gallery on the second floor of the museum. The exhibit is funded by the Nevada Commission on Mineral Resources, the Nevada Division of Minerals and the Nevada Mining Association.
“The previous Plate Tectonic exhibit, which was an anchor of the Changing Earth Gallery for decades, featured a global view of plate tectonics from the 1990s,” according to the release. “This new exhibit is very interactive; it has a more Great Basin focus to plate tectonics, and it shows where different commodities are extracted to support day to day life.”
Highlights of the exhibit include an interactive map showing where types of rocks form, a microscope to look at mineral samples, and an interactive diagram of a house showing what minerals go into different items and which counties those materials are mined, the release said.
“The final component is a virtual mine tour where guests can get a flavor of the workings of a modern mine,” according to museum officials.
The project is the first in an effort to upgrade the natural history offerings of the museum.
“Much of the original natural history displays of the museum were decommissioned in the 1990s for asbestos abatement and then due to funding never fully restored,” according to museum officials.
The museum has a phased plan to build new galleries and update existing ones.
“The updated materials and interactive nature of the exhibition make this a modern and impactful representation of geology to the public,” said Josh Bonde, director of the museum and Nevada paleontologist. “The important message that our day-to-day lives are directly impacted by obtaining materials from the Earth is a theme which is also central to the new exhibit.”
The Nevada State Museum is open to the public 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays. For information, go to carsonnvmuseum.org.