Rice NW Museum of Rocks and Minerals

09/06/2026

🦖 DINO DAY OF PLAY is coming!

Get ready for a prehistoric adventure the whole family will love on Saturday, September 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Dig for ancient treasures, hold genuine dinosaur bones, and create your own dino-inspired masterpiece. This special event celebrates the Worldwide Day of Play through joyful learning, hands-on exploration, and plenty of family fun!

🎟️ Included with general admission. Free for members.

09/05/2026

📚 Can a rock grow? Join us for a special Story Time with Audrey Sauble at 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 12!

We’ll explore the rock cycle and discover how rocks form, change, erode, and break apart through the fun, fact-filled picture book Can a Rock Grow? This book is recommended for children 4-8 years old.

Free for museum members; general admission pricing applies for nonmembers. We hope to see you there! 🪨

09/03/2026

Save the date, rockhounds! The Rice Museum’s fall Garage Sale returns Saturday, September 19, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Shop tables packed with lapidary rough, minerals, rocks, and unique specimens donated by local collectors and friends of the museum. Whether you cut and polish, build a collection, or simply love discovering Earth’s natural treasures, there’s something waiting to be unearthed.

Come enjoy a fun community atmosphere while supporting the Rice Museum’s mission to inspire curiosity about our planet.

Free for members. $5 Garage Sale Only Admission. General Admission includes the museum and Garage Sale.

09/01/2026

A bright way to support the museum is still on tap! 🍻

BearKat Brewing created a special Sunstone Pilsner to benefit the Museum—and while last Tuesday’s release party has passed, you can still enjoy a pint at BearKat Brewing in Sherwood while supplies last.

Inspired by Oregon’s beloved state gemstone, this crisp pilsner is a toast to local geology, community, and the museum’s work to share Earth’s wonders with visitors of all ages.

Stop by BearKat, raise a glass for rocks and minerals, and help support the museum—one Sunstone Pilsner at a time! Cheers!

08/29/2026

Join us at 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 12, for a special story time with Audrey Sauble featuring Can a Rock Grow? Discover how rocks form, change, erode, and sometimes break apart in an instant. This fun, fact-filled picture book introduces young learners to the rock cycle and the many different kinds of rocks found in our world. This book is recommended for children ages 4-8 years old.

Free for museum members; general admission pricing applies for nonmembers. Books will be for sale in our Museum Store

08/28/2026

What would you uncover at Rainbow Ridge? ✨

Imagine spending the day digging through Nevada’s famous opal fields, searching for flashes of color and one-of-a-kind treasures beneath the surface.

Our Rainbow Ridge Opal Adventure Raffle gives one lucky winner the chance to experience the thrill of opal mining firsthand—all while supporting the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals.

Raffle tickets are just $20, and every ticket helps support the museum’s collections, exhibits, and educational programming.

The raffle ends October 1, 2026, at 3 PM PST. Enter today and see where your luck takes you:

https://rice-nw-museum-of-rocks-minerals.square.site/product/rainbow-ridge-opal-adventure-raffle/EUXL4WJGMPWHBODALMYO4PWX

08/27/2026

08/27/2026

Now on display-- new exhibit, by guest curator Isabella "Izzy" Mozingo, Tualatin Valley Gem Club Juniors program.

Izzy is earning the American Federation Mineral Societies Juniors Showmanship badge by making her own public educational display.

Topics: Petrified wood and Amethyst

On exhibit in the Community Room at the Rice Museum for 1 month. Come see it while it's here!

More info:
📣 The Junior Geologist program is typically at the Brookwood Library in Hillsboro. Exact dates TBD, 2:00-3:00 pm, Kids 5 and up. Parents are required to attend along with their child. Please RSVP (at the link below) to “Gordon / Junior’s program” with any questions and include in the description the names and number of people attending at https://tvgc.org/contact/.

This program is open to non-members and members who can RSVP through the contact because of space availability.

Tualatin Valley Gem Club is a Non-Profit, educational group of rockhounds, lapidaries, jewelers, faceters (and more) enthusiasts on the west side Portland, Oregon.

08/26/2026

Tomorrow is the day! Join us at the museum for our community blood drive. Anyone who gives blood gets a free bloodstone.

Thursday, August 27th from 10am-3pm. Red Cross Blood Mobile will be between the Museum Store and NW Gallery.

Help us reach our goal of 32 appointments - and making a meaningful difference for patients during the current blood-supply crisis.

https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=RiceNorthwestMuseum

08/25/2026

It is happening now! The release party for Sunstone Pilsner brewed by BearKat Brewing is from 3-9pm today, Tues, Aug 25th. Proceeds of sales benefit the Museum.

Bearkat is a kid friendly establishment.