Do you dream of traveling through the solar system or walking on Mars? Do you hope that the technology in science fiction movies becomes a reality in your lifetime? Why wait for that? Visit the Monnig Meteorite Gallery in the Sid Richardson building at TCU to hold a piece of space in your hand or touch a piece of Mars.
Oscar Monnig was a businessman with a passion for meteorites. He started collecting them in the 1930’s, amassing a large variety of stone, iron and stony iron meteorites from across the globe. He slowly donated that collection to TCU from 1978 to 1986, and the gallery was opened to the public in 2003. About ten percent of the 1700 pieces are on display for visitors to view.
At the entrance of the gallery, guests are invited to touch the largest meteorite found in Texas, a 258 lb four billion-year-old stone meteorite or a 135 lb four billion-year-old iron meteorite. After posing for pictures to send to jealous friends and family members, enter the gallery to view a piece of the oldest known meteorite, found in the French village of Ensisheim in 1492, or view a piece of the first known meteorite to land in the United States, a 330 lb meteorite that fell in Weston, Connecticut in 1807.
Your tour continues with a study on the history of meteorites and information on the three main groups of meteorites, with an array of samples from each group. Out of the tens of thousands of meteorites that have been found, less than two dozen are from Mars, so take the time to study and touch the piece of the Mars meteorite that is on display.
The Monnig Meteorite Gallery holds one of the top ten American university collections and admission is free. Realize your dreams of outer space today by visiting the gallery and holding a piece of the solar system in your hand.
