GMS Field Trip August 2025

GMS Field Trip
Behind-the-Scenes Museum Tour in Georgia
Saturday, August 9, 2025

Jason Leatherwood, GMS Trip Lead, and Ryan Roney, Tellus Science Museum Curator, greeted members in the lobby of Tellus Science Museum on a beautiful Saturday morning. Our behind-the-scenes tour started outside in front of a new building scheduled to open on October 10, 2025. It will add a considerable amount of exhibit space to the already 120,000 square foot campus. Ryan explained it will house a permanent gallery plus a new, immersive, travelling space exhibit.

From there, we strolled over to the prep lab, a place that visitors rarely see. Jason, his sister Nedra, his son Aaron, and his daughter Madison volunteer their time and expertise at Tellus. Jason talked about the work they do with mineral, fossil, and rock specimens in the lab using various tools, techniques, and substances to clean, stabilize, trim, and prep them. They start by simply looking at a specimen and evaluating its composition and condition. For example, some minerals are soluble in water, and a specimen may be too delicate for some cleaning methods. Jason and Ryan gave us another example of how areas of decomposing pyrite/marcasite must be carefully and completely removed to prevent further damage. Once the initial prep work is complete, specimens can be stabilized, repaired, trimmed, etc. Sometimes, excess material is removed to reveal fossils or minerals. Once they are done, the specimen is moved to collections storage. Air-flow, ventilation, PPE (personal protective equipment), proper use of tools and chemicals – all safety protocols are well-documented, posted, and followed during the entire process.

Back in the main museum, we had a quick look at the area where pallets and crates and boxes of specimens are received. The museum is constantly planning and preparing new exhibits. In the collections area, we saw specimens that are in the process of being staged for display, being cataloged, and we also saw drawers of cataloged specimens. Ryan brought out spectacular and interesting specimens for us to see up close, and he explained the geology and mineralogy of each one.

Ryan gave us a brief history of William Weinman, the gentleman who founded the original Weinman Mineral Museum and for whom the Weinman Mineral Gallery is named. In the mineral gallery, we stopped to see a meteorite display that includes parts of a house that were damaged when a meteor hit it! Next to it was s small display of a superb shatter cone specimen collected on a GMS field trip and donated by the Leatherwoods! A shatter cone is a distinct pattern created in bedrock from the intense shock and pressure of a meteorite impact, so the piece is a perfect addition to the meteorite display area. As we continued walking through the gallery, Ryan told us about some of the very large pieces on display, then he talked about each specimen in the recent acquisitions case. Every specimen has a story. After that, Ryan and Jason remained in the mineral gallery to answer questions while we perused the displays on our own.

If you have never been on a tour like this, you should sign up next time. And if you have been before, it is worth going again because there are always new acquisitions and other new things to see.

We were so fortunate to receive such a personalized and intimate tour of the museum. Being able to visit areas rarely seen by anyone else is a wonderful experience, and to see what goes on behind the scenes is another aspect of the museum that makes it even more special to us. Members are already envisioning ways they can help by donating specimens and volunteering. Many thanks to Ryan, Jason, and Aaron for the fascinating tour. Thank you to members who took pictures and asked excellent questions. And a big thank you to Jason for arranging and leading another fun and educational trip!

Lori Carter on behalf of Jason Leatherwood
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