The Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals in Hillsboro, Oregon, houses a world-class collection recognized as the finest in the Pacific Northwest and one of the finest in the United States. Richard and Helen Rice constructed the building that would become the museum as their family home in 1952. The Museum building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places for its unique architectural style, natural stonework, and the extraordinary native Oregon woodwork found throughout the building.
In 2005, the museum opened what had originally been Richard Rice’s workshop as the Rudy Tschernich Northwest Mineral Gallery. This gallery focuses primarily on the mineral heritage of the Pacific Northwest.
Shown below is some of the plume and moss agate which is on display. According to the Museum display:
“Mineral growths within agate often resemble feathers, plumes, or moss-like structures. They are not fossils.”
Regarding plumes, the display explains:
“Plumes form when tiny spheres of chalcedony crystallize on the walls of a water-filled joint or fault surface.”
Regarding moss, the display explains:
“Moss-like growths occur when clay mineralsform long chains or root-like structures from the walls of a cavity and then are either covered with a thin coating of chalcedony to form tubes or are completely covered to form green, brown, yellow, or red moss in the agate.”
More Mineral Photo Tours
Agate Gallery: Polyhedroid Agates (Photo Diary)
Northwest Mineral Gallery: Some Oregon Minerals (Photo Diary)
Agate Gallery: Some Agates from Brazil (Photo Diary)
Northwest Mineral Gallery: Some Washington Minerals (Photo Diary)
Northwest Mineral Gallery: Stilbite (Photo Diary)
Rock Museum: Some Outdoor Displays (Photo Diary)
Rock Museum: A Worldwide Collection of Minerals (Photo Diary)
Northwest Mineral Gallery: Some Idaho Minerals (Photo Diary)