About

Who We Are

Our museum is situated in the city of Blacksburg, Virginia. We are a part of
Virginia Tech and the Department of Geosciences. The museum was first
developed in Derring Hall in 1968 and evolved from various collections around
the department that were assembled and combined to form a museum. In 1969,
the Museum was known as the Geology Museum on the second floor of Derring
Hall and was changed in the fall of 2003, now officially known as the Museum of
Geosciences (MoGs).

Vision

The Museum inspires interest in geosciences for people in the Department of
Geosciences and Virginia Tech, as well as the local and wider community.

Mission

The Museum of Geosciences serves as a center and resource for geoscience
literacy, acting as a bridge between the scientific community and the public. The
Museum provides public and pK-12 exhibits, materials, and programming;
stewardship of collections; and support for the Department’s research, academic,
and outreach work. We want to contribute knowledge, inspiration, and
appreciation for geosciences.

Our Journey So Far

The Museum regularly hosts over 7,000 visitors during the academic year.
Some of the visitors who attend the Museum each year include individuals and
families (both campus visitors and community members), preK-12 classrooms, 4-H
youth, youth and scout groups, homeschool groups, VT courses, teacher
workshops, and departmental seminars, meetings, and receptions. Our
collections consist of over 14,000 mineral, rock, and fossil specimens.Mission: The Museum of Geosciences (MoGs) maintains geological collections in the Department of Geosciences and serves as a platform to promote Earth System Science Literacy through student and faculty engagement in education and public outreach.