Planetarium and geology museum to host open house on May 11
Augustana College's John Deere Planetarium and Fryxell Geology Museum will be open to the public on Saturday, May 11, 2024, for an evening of stargazing and space shows. The planetarium, located at 820 38th Street, Rock Island, will be open from 8:30-10 p.m., with indoor and outdoor programs in the planetarium, observatory and geology museum.
Regular hours: The museum welcomes visitors from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, and 1-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday when classes are in session.
School group tours are now available. Please email Susan Wolf for information.
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The collection
The museum is named after Dr. Fritiof Fryxell, professor of geology from 1929-1973. It began in the late 1880s with a modest natural history collection. Today, the collection holds over 20,000 rock, mineral and fossil specimens, with 1,500 on display.
Highlights include a wall of glowing, fluorescent rocks, a cast of a Tyrannosaurus rex skull, and a complete 22-foot long skeleton of Cryolophosaurus, a large crested carnivorous dinosaur discovered in Antarctica.
Hours
Regular hours are 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, and 1-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday when classes are in session.
Location
The museum is housed in the Swenson Hall of Geosciences, adjacent to Founder's Hall and Ascension Chapel.
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