Collections
Tellus Science Museum has over 17,000 objects, including minerals, rocks, fossils, flight and space materials, books, and periodicals. These help the museum meet its mission of educating and inspiring visitors through dynamic exhibits and enriching experiences. The collections continue to expand through purchases, field collecting, and most importantly, through generous donations.
The museum continually seeks to improve or upgrade its collections and exhibits. To do so, the museum has developed a collecting target list to ensure that new additions to the collections enhance items that are already held.
Primarily, Tellus looks for museum-quality minerals, rocks, gems, fossils, meteorites, tektites, and mining objects from Georgia to preserve Georgia’s geologic history and to provide exceptional exhibits for the community.
Secondly, Tellus looks to gather minerals, rocks, gems, fossils, meteorites and library materials from Georgia and elsewhere to provide research opportunities through the study collection.
Thirdly, Tellus looks to collect objects related to motorized transportation, space exploration and technology, particularly those that complement the existing collection.
ABOUT THE COLLECTIONS
The Permanent Collection
The permanent collection contains those objects deemed of high aesthetic, historic, or scientific value. These form the core of our collections and are used to develop exhibits in the museum and for research.
The Study Collection
The study collection is a hands-on collection used for research and Science Olympiad, and other groups to expand knowledge about minerals, rocks, and fossils, especially of Georgia and the southeastern United States.
Frank Mayo Library
The Frank Mayo Library contains books and other resources on items housed in the museum’s collections as well as more general information on science and technology. The information here enhances our knowledge about other items in the collections.
ACCESSING THE COLLECTIONS
The collections are available to researchers for study or for access to the study collection. Please contact us for further information on getting permission to access the collections.
object IDENTIFICATION
If you have a mineral you would like identified, please send us a clear photograph. We’ll check it out and let you know if you need to bring it by for further testing.
DONATING TO THE COLLECTION
The museum continually seeks to improve or upgrade its collections and exhibits.
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