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Museum InfoBoonshoft Museum of
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GeologyThe Geology department contains rocks, minerals, fossils and meteorites from around the world, spanning prehistoric times through the present and from Earth to outer space. Overview of the Geology DepartmentThe Geology department at the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery contains material from around the world. Spanning many eons from when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, to when Dayton was submerged underneath an ocean. Highlights of the collectionThe Dayton Society of Natural History Geology Collection consists of over 15,000 rocks, minerals, and paleontological specimens. Rock hounds will enjoy perusing the Collection’s selection of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. Young paleontologists can see our dinosaur bones, and mineral specimens amaze everyone with their variety, luster, and range of colors. Paleontology specimens include Pleistocene mammals excavated by the Museum from the Carter Bog Site: two nearly complete mastodon skeletons (an adult and a juvenile), a giant ground sloth, portions of a giant beaver, a white-tailed deer, and numerous fragmented fish and bird skeletons. The collection also houses fossils, including the second-largest trilobite found in Ohio (the largest specimen was donated to the Smithsonian), as well numerous trilobite species: Phacops rana, Isotelus maximus, and Flexicalymene meeki, among many others. Trilobites are not the only fossils preserved in the Burgess shale that are preserved in the Geology Collection. We also curate numerous examples of brachiopods, bryozoans, pelecypods, gastropods, cephalopds, and crinoids. Mineral specimens in the Geology Collection are varied and in many cases, quite beautiful. Herkimer “diamonds,” rose quartz, amethyst, hematite, agates, pyrite and marcasite are all represented in the mineral collection. There are also calcite and fluorite specimens, as well as some minerals that are not commonly-known, including boulangerite, labradorite, and chrysoprase. Many of the mineral specimens are available for view by visitors in our “Glowing Geology” exhibit, presented by Vectren. This exhibit shows how certain minerals react to three varieties of light by fluorescing in vivid green and orange shades. FAQsQ. I found what appears to be a tooth or a claw, but it’s made of stone. Could it be a dinosaur tooth or claw? Link to staffAssistant Curator of Geology, 937-275-7431 ext. 151
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