Transformation of the Museum and Collections

The Museum of Geology was established 13 years ago, after the remarkably bold and misguided theft of most of the rocks and fossils we had in display cases lining our main hallways. Our specimens were all quickly recovered, but department head at the time, Dr. Dave Liddell, realized that we must consolidate our treasures into a secure room.

Ever since, there have been incremental renovations, additions, improvements, several new display cases, added oversight from Dr. Carol Dehler and Program Assistant Ellen Imler, and then – the gamechanger – alumnus Paul Jamison retired from teaching and started volunteering as our department’s Collections Manager. That kickstarted transformations of our displays, outreach, and our collections more broadly.

A major change was the addition of “Percy” the Utahraptor in 2018 -- a scale-model, scientifically informed and lifelike sculpture created by USU art student Justin Tolman. With the draw of Percy, the increasing coordination between museums across the USU campus, and Paul Jamison’s thoughtful planning for outreach to younger students, we have seen an explosion of visitation. For example, we have been on a regular circuit of monthly tours by 4th grade classes for the past three years. Add to that multiple drop-in visitations per week, groups planning tours, our huge annual Rock-n-Fossil Day, and the result is that our Museum experiences ~2,500 visitors per year!

Even more ambitious is the work going on behind-the-scenes. The basement and other corners of our Geology Building have many cabinets of specimens from research, donations, for teaching, and the typical mysterious rocks that no one remembers where they came from. Since Dr. Don Fiesinger retired, we have not kept up with the organization of these. Paul and undergraduate super-student Whitney Greaves (recipient of our Jamison Scholarship and Fiesinger Award), in addition to three museum interns, have tackled making our collections indexed, organized, and useful. They have been building a new spreadsheet database, reorganizing specimen storage, sorting out what is not needed, creating systems for documenting new items, and just making it all more like the real thing.

Stop by and check out our displays and collections! And visit our Museum website for more info: www.usu.edu/geo/info/geology-museum