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On the way to EFMLS Wildacres, we stopped at the Museum of North Carolina Minerals. What a great idea that was! The museum is very manageable. Do give yourself 30 minutes to explore the inner halls that tell the story, through “museum quality,” naturally, examples of quartz, pyrite, rare and unusual minerals excavated during the long and colorful mining history in North Carolina.
Many of the mines are closed these days, and off-limits , so what you see in the Museum of North Carolina Minerals is often the last remaining relic from a formerly active mine. Read the story of the Native Americans who first began mining, and see their artifacts. If archaeology is more your passion, then that section of the Museum of North Carlina Minerals is for you.
For us we enjoyed the hall, gallery of gems and minerals, and videos of the history of North Carolina mining.
Then we hit the gift shop. Their prices are very reasonable. Below are some photos of some amethyst geode we could not pass up when the price is right. The Museum of North Carolina Minerals had the most complete section of local rockhounding guides we had seen though. We could not take advantage of the local rockhounding, and go on an excursion since Wildacres was our destination, but I suggest you buy on of those books if camping or rockhounding, or you live in North Carolina.
The Museum of North Carolina Minerals is a “gem,” and the outdoors has massive boulder sized examples of local stone, minerals, and rocks. They are great props for photos.
This is our favorite tip if you are going to EFMLS Wildacres for a week of rockhounding camp for lapidary, gem, and mineral education and fun.
