Mines Museum of Earth Science

Mines Museum, home to one of Colorado’s two Goodwill moon rocks collected during the Apollo 17 mission, had its beginnings in 1874 with the collection of geologist, Arthur Lakes, and includes the historic Colorado State Mineral Collection created by the Bureau of Mines in the 1890’s. The museum serves as the state repository for Colorado’s mineral heritage and showcases the most extensive public collection of minerals from Colorado.

Pass through our indoor cave and discover minerals that glow. Gaze at the sparkling Miss Colorado Crown containing over 600 gemstones and 21 diamonds. Transport yourself to Golden’s geologic past through our windows. Hike the Bob Weimer trail and visit authentic triceratops trackways. Marvel at our beautifully restored Irwin Hoffman mining murals.

Visit often. With more than 3,000 items currently on display and more than 40,000 total items in our collection, there will always be something new to see. We regularly rotate exhibits to provide fresh educational experiences and displays for our visitors to enjoy. Earn a free rock or mineral by participating in a family-friendly scavenger hunt and watch for changing themes!

Visit Us

Admission: FREE
Regular Hours: Mon. – Sat. 9AM-4PM and Sun. 1PM-4PM
CLOSED July 4th, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.
Location: Colorado School of Mines, General Research Lab (GRL) building,
1310 Maple St., Golden, CO 80401
Contact: geomuseum@mines.edu

Get Involved

Donate
"Thanks to your investment, Mines is producing the talent, knowledge, and innovations that industry and society need for prosperity. Your support beyond MINES@150 will propel us along our path to being that top-of-mind, first-choice and world-renowned university that we aspire Mines to be."
-Paul C. Johnson, President and Professor

Volunteer
Discover fun and meaningful ways to get involved! We have a role for every interest and schedule:

• Docent

• Education Program Assistant

• Collections & Research Support

• Events & Outreach Volunteer

• Front Desk & Visitor Services

• Marketing & Communications Assistant

If you are interested in volunteering, please email our Volunteer Coordinator at sdhoward@mines.edu

Resources

Campus Map
Parking Information
Events Calendar
Accessibility