OLDEST - Museum in Butte, Montana
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member T0SHEA
N 46° 00.648 W 112° 33.424
12T E 379456 N 5096426
On the campus of Montana Tech the MBMG Mineral Museum is the oldest of several museums in Butte.
Waymark Code: WMZHR4
Location: Montana, United States
Date Posted: 11/15/2018
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member veritas vita
Views: 1

MBMG is the acronym for Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology. Begun in 1901 with about 200 local specimens, the museum now holds over 13,000 specimens, 1000 of which are on display. Though the collection still focuses primarily on geological items related to mining in Montana, it now contains many specimens from around the world, even from outer space. Included in the collection are many fossils, primarily of ancient sea creatures, such as ammonites, nautiloids, even ancient crabs. In one corner of the museum is a dark room for the display of phosphorescent minerals.

Of the seven museums in Butte, the MBMG Mineral Museum is by far the oldest. The next oldest is at least 50 years newer, probably more. In fact, in all of Montana, that we know of there is only one older museum, that being the Montana Museum of Art & Culture, established in Missoula in 1894, the year following the establishment of The University of Montana in 1893. While the Montana Historical Society was established in 1865, it seems that it did not have a proper museum until the 1950s.
MBMG Mineral Museum
Montana Standard | Oct 30, 2011

Remember when someone stole the Mineral Museum’s prized gold nugget in 1992? (It was recovered.)

Or when the place burned in 1990? (Restoration took one year.)

Did you know Copper King W.A. Clark’s prized collection can be seen at the museum?

The museum, located on the Montana Tech campus and administered by the Bureau of Mines and Geology, celebrates its 110th anniversary with an open house Sunday, Nov. 6, from 1 to 5 p.m.

Docents will present the highlights of the displays. Activities and free mineral specimens for kids are planned. Museum curator Dick Berg will give short talks throughout the afternoon.

The oldest museum in Butte, it dates to 1901, six months after the School of Mines opened. The collection consisted of 177 specimens that were purchased for study by the students. At that time, the museum was housed in Main Hall. In 1939, the museum moved into the newly completed Library-Museum Building.
Museum highlights include:
A fire in 1990 forced the museum to close for a year to clean the collections and restore the building.

Many still recall the theft of the Highland Centennial Gold Nugget in 1992. Weighing 27.475 troy ounces, it’s the largest gold nugget on record found in Montana in the last 80 years. The nugget was recovered less than a month later.

Over the years, several collections have been donated, including that of Copper King W.A. Clark, bequeathed by Clark’s son, W.A. Clark II. The collection contains over 1,000 worldwide specimens.

In recent years, 18 new display cases have brought the museum into the 21st century. Newer acquisitions include the Rheanna Star, the largest smoky quartz cluster found in southwest Montana, and a 32-pound meteorite on temporary loan that was found in Montana.

The museum has a new earthquake display that allows visitors to simulate seismic waves by jumping on a platform.
From the Montana Standard
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Department Number, Category Name, and Waymark Code:
2-Buildings • Art Deco - Art Nouveau • Immaculate Conception Catholic Church • WMZEC8
5-Entertainment • Official Local Tourism Attractions • MBMG Mineral Museum • WMZEQZ
6-History • Guest Books • MBMG Mineral Museum • WMZEQY
10-Oddities • Superlatives • OLDEST - Museum in Butte, Montana • WMZET1
12-Signs • Neon Signs • MBMG Mineral Museum • WMZER3
13-Structures • Bell Towers • Immaculate Conception Catholic Church • WMZECK
15-Multifarious • News Article Locations • Mineral Museum’s colorful history • WMZET2


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