Annual Open House
Annual Open House
The theme of the Geology Museum's 58th Annual Open House Event on Saturday, January 31, 2026 is Minerals! Visit us for a fun-filled day of lectures and activities!
2026 Annual Open House Schedule is Minerals!
If you would like to see information about past events, please visit the Past Open House Events Page.
Mineral Sale
Each year the Rutgers Geology Museum sponsors a gem, mineral and fossil show at the Annual Open House. Visitors can browse our selection for rare and beautiful rocks, minerals and fossils from New Jersey and around the world.
Doors open at 9 am* and payment can be made by cash, check and credit card.
*Early admission is available with Emerald and Diamond level Museum Membership!
All purchases will be charged 6.625% NJ sales tax unless proof of tax exempt status is provided.
Lectures
The Rutgers Geology Museum welcomes distinguished professors and scientists from around the world to discuss the latest discoveries and advances in the fields of geology, paleontology, anthropology, astronomy and more. Talks are designed for the general public and there is sure to be something to interest everyone.
10AM: “Fantastic Mineral Specimens Donated to the Rutgers Geology Museum” by David Tibbits
12:30PM: “New Jersey's Role in American Mining: Iron, Zinc and More” by Michael Di Maio
2PM: “Roving the Red Planet: Exploring the Geology and Habitability of Mars” by Dr. Shaunna Morrison
Children's Activities
The Rutgers Geology Museum will also offer our littlest visitors an opportunity to learn about the latest discovers in science. Kids age 8+ can join the museum staff as they lead them through various earth science based hands-on activities. No registration is required but we suggest you come early as spots fill up fast.
Activites held in Scott Hall:
ROOM 101: Stickersaurs! book reading with Rob Ambrose
ROOM 102: Fun with Fluorescence
ROOM 103: Rock and Mineral Identification
ROOM 104: Mineral Detectives
ROOM 105: Sands of the World
Arts & Crafts
Several geology, anthropology and natural history themed make-and-take activities will be set up around the museum on Open House day. Visitors of all ages can partake in these free activities. Check the official Open House flyer for the times and listings.
Explore the Exhibits
The museum will be open for the entire length of the Open House and as always there is no admission fee. Visitors are free to peruse the exhibits, conduct a scavenger hunt or participate in one of the many activities that will be set up inside the museum. Check the official Open House flyer for the times and listings.
Mineral and Fossil Identification
If you have any minerals or fossils laying around that you aren't sure how classify, this is your chance to have a geologist take a look! Just bring the specimen to the Open House and we'll see how we can help. Mineral and fossil identification is held in Scott Hall.
Volunteering
Each year dozens of volunteers help make this event a success. If you are interested in volunteering for this event, please fill out our Volunteer Application indicating the dates, times and activities you could assist with.
Registration
All Open House events are free and open to all ages. No prior registration is required for any of the events.
Captioning Services
CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) captioning services will be provided for all of the lectures at the Open House. This service provides instantaneous translation of the spoken language into text and projects the text onto a screen for our audience. If you required assistance beyond the capabilities of the CART service, please contact the museum staff prior to the day of the Open House.
Dining
Coffee, tea, soda and light snacks will be available for purchase at the Open House. Lunch and other dining services will not be available at this event. Visitors can visit the Rutgers Student Center up the street from the Open House events to purchase lunch or walk over to Easton Avenue where a variety of restaurants are located.
Parking
Special arrangements are made so that Open House Visitors can park in Rutgers Lots 9, 11, 16, 26, and 30, but you must register your vehicle to avoid a citation. Additional parking is also available in the metered spots on the local roads and in the parking decks in downtown New Brunswick labeled "P". Both of these options require payment to be made. The city will ticket on Saturday at the meters. Please see the following map for more details.
Click here to register your vehicle to park in one of the lots.
Past Open House Events