MG Kids ‘rocks’ at Morris Museum in Morris Township

Steven Okulewicz combined science and magic in a show during the rock and mineral weekend at the Morris Museum. Sharon Sheridan photo
1

By Carl Hausman, MG Kids correspondent

Last weekend, I went to a rock and mineral show at the Morris Museum. First, I looked at some stands that had various pieces of calcite and copper and other such New Jersey native minerals.

Steven Okulewicz combined science and magic in a show during the rock and mineral weekend at the Morris Museum. Sharon Sheridan photo

Quiz: Which would be better to mine: already-formed copper or rocks, metals or minerals that had to be processed to turn into copper? Answer: The materials that need to be processed. Normal copper bends, so it is hard to get out of the rock, and when you do get it out, you can’t break it to carry it away in chunks, so you probably couldn’t take it anyway. Rocks and minerals that you would get copper out of can be broken apart to be taken out of the rocks and carried away.

Brandon Pecca, almost 7, helps out during the magic show. Sharon Sheridan photo

There was also petrified wood in these little exhibits. It came in blue, gray and multi-colored brown and red swirls.

Then, we visited the rock-selling exhibit. There were various pieces of petrified wood, carved necklaces with jewels and rocks used to make them, and various little stands that contained tiny samples of different minerals. There were even fossils.

I got a small sample of vanadinite. It appears growing on other rocks as an opaque rusty red crystal. There was another stand selling them as well, but while this one had reasonable prices, that one was selling them for like three times as much!

Carl Hausman and his dad take in the magic show at the Morris Museum. Sharon Sheridan photo

Then, we saw a rock and mineral magic show. The magician made a piece of cloth rise up, fire come out of a book, balls multiply and even converted coal into plastic diamonds.

This was my visit to the Morris Museum rock exhibits.

Help! My book is on fire! Sharon Sheridan photo


Would you like to tell us about an adventure you’ve had? MG Kids welcomes news reports, fiction, poetry and artwork from kids of all ages.

Click here to find out how to contribute. Click here to see more of the MG Kids art and writing gallery.

Justin Henry, 8, of Basking Ridge watches in amazement as magician Steven Okulewicz pulls a lengthy ribbon from his mouth. Sharon Sheridan photo


1 COMMENT

  1. I am happy to hear that you have enjoyed the Morris Museum – it is one of my favorite place. Have you see the Mechanical Music Show?

LEAVE A REPLY