mineral museum of michigan

Copper mining was a major part of the area. There are displays and videos on how its formed. Many beautiful specimens of many rocks and gems.I was there over 1.5 hrs and had to leave as they were closing, but there was more to see!

A must stop while in Houghton. Much more interesting than you would expect. Great gift shop. Friendly staff.

Incredible selection of rocks from local sites. Well worth the short walk on Campus to check this place out.Mecca for rockhounds.

The extensive display of minerals is beautiful. The information given is informative and worthwhile. I found a discovery about Michigan that I did not really know about and was pleased to learn.

This is an excellent museum on the campus of Michigan Tech that draws on both the university's reputation for excellence in the geosciences and the active mining industry that forms an important part of the Upper Peninsula's economy. The selection of minerals displayed is diverse and international in scope, and a nice touch is a series of displays that allow one to compare different minerals in terms of chemical content in one section, geological context in another, and economic significance in a third. This diversity of presentation means that visitors from backgrounds ranging all the way from casual tourist to traveling physical scientist (my own professional expertise) can get something out of the exhibits. There is a gift shop with similarly diverse offerings, ranging from tourist trinkets to serious (and seriously expensive) collector's items. I recommend this museum highly; plan to spend at least two hours there,

This is a nice, inexpensive stop during a trip to the area. This new facility opened 3 summers ago and has beautiful rocks and minerals from the local area, as well as around the world. Many items look like art. A highlight is a dark room with rocks that glow with special lighting. The gift shop has great souvenirs to take home, especially if you're into rocks and gems. Our teens enjoyed walking through, and we enjoyed the movie on the formation of Lake Superior and how the area became so rich in ores. This is definitely worth an hour of your time. Entry is only $3 for adults and kids are either free or minimal cost, depending on school I.D., etc.

This is a great stop - for an hour or for several hours. You can learn what you see on the Lake Superior beaches, you can learn history and you can learn a lot of geology and chemistry. We are a family with a 9 year old boy and 11 year old girl and they loved it for about 2 hrs. It was $3 per adult and $1 per child entry (Tuesdays are free). Yes, the glow-in-the-dark set up in the back corner is the highlight. You see a bunch of regular rocks set up and once black light is on them, they are bright and neon colors! My warning is that the entry is directly into the gift shop, so, parents, beware. Our kids got a couple grab-bags in the gift shop after looking through the museum (and spending a lot of time on beaches) and they enjoyed getting some fun keepsakes from that. Highly recommend this stop.

This museum is very nicely put together. They have many specimens and interesting signage. Don't miss the room in the back with all the glow-in-the dark stuff and a little video.

Visit this museum on a Tuesday -it's free every Tuesday. It is not large, only one floor, but the exhibits are beautifully designed, lighting is good. Some of the text is good, but some of it is so technical that having a couple of live, on-the-floor interpreters to answer questions and interact with visitors would have made this a more meaningful experience. Some things were hard to understand. This would not be a good museum for young children. The displays are high up and technical. However, it is a beautiful destination for anyone who has some knowledge or previous interest in mineralogy. Older children would be interested. I found the archeological component particularly interesting - proofs of prehistoric copper mining and tool creation. Very interesting. I also thought that some of the samples would have made fantastic jewellery, and would advise the gift shop to have a least one retail case of more artistic handmade jewellery - command a high price ($200 to $400) for the most extraordinary pieces). Instead the gift shop is almost all souvenir quality. Some of the books were interesting. Don't underestimate yourselves, Mineral Museum. You have a lot of yachtsmen drifting through Houghton - promote your high end items in that demographic.

You don't have to be a rock hound to be astounded by this museum. Super cool for all ages. The teenagers were most jazzed by the luminescence room. If you are in the area do not miss this. It is free on Tuesdays.

Very reasonable price for families. The staff was very friendly, restrooms clean. Near the Michigan Tech School so we drove around the campus and checked that out. Stopped and got some spirit wear.

If you are interested in rocks, minerals and/or fossils at all you need to visit the Seaman Mineral Museum. This was the best collection I have seen outside of the Smithsonian. They really showcase local specimens which was great for someone, like me, not familiar with Michigan geology.

The Seaman Mineral Museum is really fantastic. It houses one of the world's best and largest collections of minerals. Many exotic minerals and gems. We always take visitors to the area there, and they are always impressed. It's definitely a highlight of the area. Nice gift shop.

I read the reviews about it and I have to say I agree!!!This museum is truly amazing Great size, large amount of minerals they even have a glow in the dark room !!The pieces are spectacular each of them is a piece of art!!!It makes me really dad to know that many people on this area have not been there and that the museum does not host activities inside to promote themselves !!!Hope you enjoy the museum as much as we did

The displays are in a nice environment and easy to view. Many different specimens are here from all over the world. Good little gift shop too.