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Donna Ware-Self: Hello. My name is Donna Ware-Self. My husband, Jeff, and I are the curators at the Sherman Dugan Museum of Geology at San Juan College in Farmington, New Mexico. The Geology Museum is housed in the School of Energy Building, which is located at the corner of Pinon Hills Boulevard and College Boulevard. It is open to the public Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM except holidays, and it is free.

Have you ever been out for a walk and picked up a pretty or interesting stone and put it into your pocket? Why? Because it was interesting, pretty, shaped like a heart, or something that just makes you smile. Most of us have. Some people take it further and start trying to find out why, how, where. How did it grow? What made it that color? Why is it shaped that way? Then, we discover the world of Geology, minerals, crystals, and fossils. Many people develop a passion for collecting these beautiful and intriguing minerals and fossils.

Sherman Dugan was one of these people. Over time, he accumulated a very large collection of exceptional minerals and fossils. After Sherman's passing, his father, Tom Dugan, wanted to share his son's passion for Geology with the public. So, working with San Juan College, his dream is now a reality. Sherman's children, Sean and Meghan, along with their families, continue to nurture and support the growth of the Geology Museum, along with continued support from the Dugan families and the worldwide mineral community. The museum continues to be a vibrant part of the Farmington community.

The displays start as soon as you enter the building. We have ever-changing display of mining artifacts. Have you ever wondered what the old-timers used for illumination deep underground? Imagine working by the light of a single candle. Today, we use lights that are three million candle watt power, but not back in those days. That's just one of the interesting displays that we have throughout the museum. We try to rotate and refresh our displays often. Sometimes, it is an entire display. Other times, it's just a few new items that have been added. Even if you have been to the museum in the last six months, come again to visit it. We've probably changed.

Some of our highlights of the museum are we have meteorites from impacts all around the world. Fluorite crystals in all the colors of the rainbow. We have an entire display of New Mexico minerals, an extensive collection of minerals from old mines in Old Mexico, a wide variety of minerals from around the world. We also have a UV cabinet. Many minerals change colors with UV. UV is utilizing a short wave or a long wave ultraviolet light, which changes the colors that you see incredibly. Our fossil collection is very extensive, including a very large  brontothere skull, a fully articulated oreodont skeleton. The oreodonts, they look about the size of a very small dog. The scientists are still debating whether or not the oreodonts were related to dogs or ruminating hogs. The debate is still out. We have a wonderful nest of raptor eggs and the mama that may have laid them; a diorama of numerous dinosaurs. And don't forget to look up. Some of these dinosaurs are flying above your heads. Throughout the museum, we have QR codes with links to outside websites for further information on select topics.

And be sure to stop by the desk on your way out. Sign our guest book and pick up a free mineral to put in your pocket. Again, the location is the School of Energy Building at San Juan College at the corner of Pinon Hills Boulevard and College Boulevard. We hope you enjoy your time at our museum. Thank you for listening.