The Museum of North Carolina Minerals opened in 1956 as a joint project between the National Park Service and the North Carolina Department of Conservation and Development. The exhibits, unaltered for 46 years, focused on the economic benefits and uses of minerals found in the Spruce Pine mining district and elsewhere in North Carolina.

The Museum was subject to a nearly one million dollar renovation and expansion in 2002 with new exhibits and a much expanded mission and broadened interpretive goals. This was made possible by a partnership between the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, the National Park Service, and Mitchell County (NC).

A major focus is on fullfilling the North Carolina standards of learning in Earth Sciences with a curriculum based program at the Museum. Students from a five county region actively attend the Museum for experiential learning and are introduced to the wealth of cultural and natural resoucres of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Your donations help:
Provide hands-on interactive exhibits that explore the creation of the Blue Ridge Mountains and a wide variety of minerals. All museum exhibits are designed to meet state and national curriculum standards.

There are many ways you can get involved.

Click here to learn more:

http://www.brpfoundation.org/MuseumofNorthCarolinaMinerals.php