Treasures from the Earth: Diamonds, Gold and Dinos April 3, 2009

Beginning April 3, 2009 the Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary will present Treasures from the Earth, a new exhibit featuring an exotic collection of diamonds, gems, precious metals, rare minerals, pearls and fossils. Many of these specimens are on loan from exclusive collectors and some have never been exhibited in public, making the Heard’s newly renovated exhibit space the perfect place for their debut.

Treasures from the Earth includes a vault where the public will have the opportunity to view some of the largest uncut diamonds (up to ten carats) ever found in the United States from the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas. In addition, the vault features dendritic gold, large birthstones and a silver ingot recovered from the Spanish galleon, Nuestra Señora de Atocha, which sunk off the Florida Keys in 1622.

A series of walk-through galleries describe the formation of these striking specimens as well as highlight their functions in our daily lives. Throughout the exhibit there are exciting and educational displays tailored for adults and children of all ages. Not to be missed are our Children’s Activity Area, which includes Panning for Pyrite and our new interactive Observation Station where children can share and exchange information and observations about objects found in the natural world. A wide variety of unique, never-before-seen fossils including a dinosaur nest and a T-Rex skull, are featured next to our popular walk-through Mosasaur.

No matter what your family’s interests, the Heard Museum has something for everyone including our Animals of the World exhibit featuring non-native mammals as well as our collection of native Texas reptiles and amphibians. Enjoy the beauty of the native plant garden and a 289-acre wildlife sanctuary with more than seven miles of nature trails. Visit the Heard Museum for fun education and exploration!

Collections provided by “The Arkenstone” and Jim & Michele Houran

Official Website: http://www.heardmuseum.org