California State Mining and Mineral Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids California State Mining and Mineral Museum |
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Interior of the California State Mining and Mineral Museum
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 California State Mining and Mineral Museum
Location in California
California State Mining and Mineral Museum
Location in the United States
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| Location | Mariposa County, California, United States |
| Nearest city | Mariposa, California |
| Established | 1999 |
| Governing body | California Department of Parks and Recreation |
The California State Mining and Mineral Museum is a cool place to learn about California's amazing mineral resources. It also teaches us about the state's mining history. This museum is part of the California state park system. You can find it near Mariposa, a town in central California. It's located right on the grounds of the Mariposa County fair.
The museum's collection started way back in 1880. It began when the California State Mining Bureau was created. A person named Henry G. Hanks was the first to manage this collection. For many years, the collection was kept in the Ferry Building in San Francisco. Then, in 1983, it moved. By 1986, the collection found its new home at the Mariposa County Fairgrounds. Today, the museum is special because it's the only California State Park that doesn't have its own land. It holds a huge collection of over 13,000 items. These include rocks, gems, fossils, and old artifacts.
Contents
Discover California's Mining Treasures
This museum shows off some truly incredible items. You can see the famous crystalline gold Fricot Nugget. This huge gold piece weighs about 201 troy ounces, which is over 6 kilograms! It was one of the biggest gold nuggets found during the California Gold Rush.
How Gold Was Found
Another cool exhibit is a working scale model of a stamp mill. This model is over 100 years old. It shows how people used to get gold out of quartz rock. You can also walk through a replica hard rock mine tunnel. This helps visitors understand what it was like inside California's hard rock mines.
Gems and Artifacts from Around the World
The museum has many artifacts from the Mother Lode region. This area was very important during the Gold Rush. Besides local treasures, you can also see beautiful international gems, stones, and other artifacts.
A Look at the Museum's History
In January 2008, the California Mining and Mineral Museum faced a challenge. It was one of 48 California state parks that might have closed. This was part of a plan to save money for the state. Luckily, the museum stayed open and continues to welcome visitors today.
