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Fryxell Geology Museum

One of the largest and finest collections of rocks, minerals and fossils in the Midwest.

Schedule a free field trip
Dr. William Hammer
Visitors are greeted by a 22-foot-long skeleton of a Cryolophosaurus, a large carnivorous dinosaur discovered in Antarctica in 1991 by Dr. William Hammer.

Fryxell Geology Museum

William Hammer

In addition to our normal museum weekday open hours (8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.), the museum will also be open for one extra hour each weeknight, Dec. 9-13 from 7:30-8:30 p.m. in conjunction with the Season of Light Planetarium holiday shows.

The museum will be closed for Christmas break Saturday, Dec. 14-Sunday, Jan. 5. The museum will reopen at 8 a.m. on Jan. 6, 2025.

Regular hours: The museum welcomes visitors from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday,  and 1-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday when classes are in session.

School group tours are now available. Please email Susan Wolf for information.

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The collection

The museum is named after Dr. Fritiof Fryxell, professor of geology from 1929-1973. It began in the late 1880s with a modest natural history collection. Today, the collection holds over 20,000 rock, mineral and fossil specimens, with 1,500 on display.

Highlights include a wall of glowing, fluorescent rocks, a cast of a Tyrannosaurus rex skull, and a complete 22-foot long skeleton of Cryolophosaurus, a large crested carnivorous dinosaur discovered in Antarctica.

Hours

In addition to our normal museum weekday open hours (8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.), the museum will also be open for one extra hour each weeknight, Dec. 9-13 from 7:30-8:30 p.m. in conjunction with the Season of Light Planetarium holiday shows.

The museum will be closed for Christmas break Saturday, Dec. 14-Sunday, Jan. 5. The museum will reopen at 8 a.m. on Jan. 6, 2025.

Regular hours are 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, and 1-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday when classes are in session.

Location

820 38th St.
Rock Island, IL 61201
United States

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