The NEW Seaman Mineral Museum
The new Seaman Mineral Museum at Michigan Technological University opened not long ago with their first display from the Keweenaw set up.
Museum cases ready to be filled
The new building has slightly less floor space than their old location in the Engineering building. I think with careful planning they can get all the old material back in plus maybe a little more. The new building was designed to be added to and it really needs to be twice as big at least.
Some of the Keweenaw collection minerals
A generous donation from Thomas D. Shaffner and supporters of the Seaman and the University funded the building. Construction began auspiciously when an old mine shaft was struck under where the building was going to be replaced. This added costs to the building as that hole had to be filled. I thought that it would have been a great asset to just leave the hole open and charge for mine tours (OK, just kidding). Another option would have been to put the Fluorescent collection down there (you need dark don’t you?).
Lakers
Copper history display
Our good friend and famous artist, Susan Robinson, took Bonnie and I on a wonderful tour of the future museum. Susan’s husband Professor George Robinson has done a wonderful job coordinating the reestablishment of the museum exhibits. Susan is to be commended as chief specimen wrapper and unwrapper.
The gift shop is open and was busy. The biggest areas of the exhibits are still to be unwrapped and displayed, but they did get Keweenaw minerals out to make all of us drool over what we wish we might find this week.
Datolites