crater rock museum

Small museum packed full of interesting items. Will keep you busy for hours, depending on how much you like to read. So many different exhibits, and history of the local area as well as Oregon. I found it fascinating both times I have been there.

Thank you so much for visiting our museum. We are happy to hear that you enjoyed your time visiting and seeing that we are much more than just rocks. We hope to see you again!

Anyone visiting southern Oregon should add the Crater Rock Museum to their list of places to visit; it's a gem of museum with exhibits that will interest all ages and most interests - of course you should like history or just like looking at way cool rocks! The volunteers are great and very informative.

Even my 9 year old granddaughter enjoyed looking at the beautiful rocks and crystals. My husband had fun clowning around with the dinosaur. I enjoyed it all, even the gift shop. This is well worth a visit.

Tucked away in sleepy Central Point, this unassuming building houses amazing, astounding artifacts and mysteries of our very existence! Come and explore. Talk to the people there. Visit all the rooms and tour the working lab. You will discover the wonders of our planet that you never knew existed.

We’re happy you enjoyed your visit to the museum. I hope you checked out our newly renovated Florescent Rock Room which is always a big hit with kids – and adults too!With the exception of two part time employees, Crater Rock Museum is run by the local rock club – The Roxy Ann Gem and Mineral Society. So to keep it running, we are volunteers who donate our time. From the person who cleans the glass on the displays in any of the 8 rooms of mineral and gem displays we offer, to building cases for the rocks and minerals, to the people you see in the workshop, these are all people who donate time to make it work. The workshop staff make it possible – by volunteering lots of hours – to be able to give kids the free rock and contribute to the wonderful experience you had. Some visitors to the museum spend at least 2+ hours reading all the information in the displays, and a few locals visit every month! But like any place, volunteer hours don’t pay for the electricity, heat/air conditioning, part time employees, etc., so the entrance fee, which is comparatively low to other places of this quality, helps to defray those costs. We thank you for visiting and hope to see you again!

The very simple metal building has you completly unaware of the amazing gem collection inside from all over the world. Once you are inside you think you are looking at a collection in London or some other large city of reknown. Amazing. You have to see it to believe it.

An elderly woman suggested we visit the museum when we hinted we were interested in finding gem treasures. We went that same day and were quite surprised. This is a world class museum of gems, minerals and fossils. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable. The fluorescent mineral display is not to be missed. A kid's favorite for sure. They have a full workshop where members work on turning unassuming rocks into beautiful jewelry and other objects. The workshop is always happy to show visitors around and may even have a special surprise for the children who visit. This is a not to be missed stop on your trip north or south on I-5 in Oregon. Located just north of Medford and convenient to the highway. There is a small charge for admission but well worth the few dollars.

A friend happened to mention this place, and for our rock hound 9 year-old, Crater Rock Museum was one of the highlights of our trip to Oregon. Ron, one of the volunteers who works in the shop, was so kind, patient, and incredibly knowledgable as he showed us around. Fascinating exhibits that even I, a city gal with no real rock smarts, came to appreciate and found truly awesome. This is a fantastic place for kids and adults alike. The community is truly fortunate to have such a place as this. We will be back the next time we visit Oregon!

Very interesting, love cutting the thunder eggs! Large variety of rocks, and fossils. Fun way to learn!

A lot to see. We were surprised to find out they have so much. Great place to visit, especially for kids. Really nice they are so informative and like to cut open a rock for each child to find what's inside. Really nice gift shop with plenty of unusual items to purchase.

Wonderful variety of rocks and fossils. Geologic information on the area, too. Locally made items to purchase available.

An unexpected find a couple of years ago, we've been 3 times and never get bored - lots of gorgeous gemstones, rocks, fossils, petrified wood slabs, shells... even a dark room for florescent type rocks! As an artist I appreciate the colors, textures, abstract organic shapes & sketch when there. Good for kids or adults. Quite large with the recent expansion, an impressive collection run by the local gem/rock club. Nice gift shop too. And bargain entry prices... A great little side trip if you are in the Ashland area for theatre. Highly recommended!

they have a lot of interesting rocks. they offer classes and have a ton of information for anyone interested in rocks, and minerals.

My husband and I visited the Crater Rock Museum in order to see and purchase rocks and gems for our growing collection. This is a great place for kids...as I turned into one the deeper we got. The museum is huge, a donor assisted the museum in its recent 12,000 square foot expansion. There is so much to see! The gift shop has great prices on all sorts of great things to buy. I would recommend this place to experienced rock collectors, as well as new one's. There is also a working lapidary where you can watch members work on their jewelry, etc.The neatest feature of this place...going out in the field and hunting for your own agates. Of course they have been placed there (over a period of several years I learned), but its almost as if you are hunting in the wild! Then you can purchase what you find, only .25 cents per pound. We spent $2 and got a huge bag full of good stuff.Put this on your next road trip agenda!