Rice NW Museum of Rocks and Minerals Reviews

A family that has had a great fascination with geology has opened there collection to the public. But as you will find the collection is much bigger and more interesting than you would expect for one family to have. Great educational experience!

Lots of space to wander and look at all the exhibits-great collection and lots of information. We went for a homeschool science lesson, perfect!

We hadn't visited the Rice Museum in many years and went recently as a low-key Sunday activity. The stone collection is amazing in both diversity and presentation, the petrified tree collection is without peer, and fills an entire well-lit basement, and the original house itself was constructed with museum quality wood and cabinetry. Pay attention to all the details.

The new building has some spectacular pieces, and a reconstruction of what one of the dig sites looked like when found. The young lady in the gift shop was quite knowledgeable and very pleasant, and, of course, there's always the prospect of finding a "treasure" in the rock pile.

You may not think you are a "rock" person. but the variety and beauty of these natural wonders will impress you. Go visit. Cost was $6 each for seniors. (There's a coupon in the Entertainment Book for buy one get one free also). The house is situated among a grove of large trees with plenty of birds, squirrels, and chipmunks to amuse the kids.

This is a place we love taking friends with any interest in rock-hounding, geology, or lapidary work. The world's largest rhodochrosite and a splendid, ever-expanding supporting cast of samples make this a place to visit at least once in your life.

Excellent Museum. I Was Highly impressed with their collections. I never seen a trilobite with such detail.

We gave this annual pass to our great grandchildren and the family is very happy to take "field trips" to the various places the annual pass covers, the zoo, and other museums. Worth every penny for a thoughtful gift.

This place is ideal for school groups or geologists. It has interesting rocks and crystals but the entrance price seems excessive.

Fantastic geology museum located in a very interesting house and surroundings - just off highway 26.

We have been here several times. The rock collection from all over the world is impressive. Many displays of petrified wood that are amazing. The 1950’s home where the Museum is located is worth the visit. We attended an Easter Egg Hunt(not your usual) that ended up with the Grandkids receiving a choice of a thunder egg, which they cut for them, or a bag of surprise rocks.

My kids love coming here cause they are very interested in things like this. Even now that they are teens they still enjoy coming! We Love the festival they put on in August!

This place is not huge, but it definitely has plenty to look at. Lots of school tour groups come here. It is usually not crowded.

It is small rock and minerals museum.It has very wide range of selection of rocks. good for school kids to learn and it has store where you can buy fun stuff

This is a great Museum. We really enjoyed it. It's really fascinating and I learned so much. It's much bigger than we thought. You can easily spend a couple of hours. It really is a must see.

It is amazing all the various displays of rocks, gold, and minerals they have. It looks like a house when you drive in and it is but there ia another part seperate from the house too. Thye displays have a lot of details listed about the various pieces; you can spend a long time there looking at the stuff they have gathered together actually from all over the earth; there are a lot of items from Oregon on display.

The owners are very thorough and knowledgeable. They also gave each student a gem souvenir. every young rock enthusiastic should go there

There are actually two buildings full of rocks and minerals from all over the world and beyond. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. The gift shop has some amazing stuff for sale.

This museum is a treasure.

No food, drink r video cameras.

I know I will be coming back a lot.

I have seen rock and mineral displays at a lot of major museums and the Rice leaves them all in the dust. If you are in the area and have a couple of hours, very much worth the effort!

When we first pulled up, I thought, "what a waste." It just looked like a house with a small building to the side of it.

But, when we went in and paid, we walked into the side building I was amazed.

There were hundreds of beautiful specimens of rocks, minerals, and things of all kinds.

They even had a collection of gold specimens that was fun to see.

I've been to lots of mineral exhibits but the Rice family collected a beautiful collection, better than many large museums.

It is way out in the country. The museum used to be the home of the Rice family and then it was converted into a museum.

$10 for seniors, $12 for adults, $8 for students.

There are also things for the kids to do and try. The kids had fun.
There is a gift shop where you can buy small rocks and minerals that was also fun for the kids.

Definitely worth the drive and the cost.

The Rice Museum is simply a must for rock and mineral enthusiasts. With over 4000 minerals from around the word on display this hidden gem. Yes ... its a pun, but this museum is one of the best in the country. Located just West of Portland you will find the museum tucked away in a beautiful stand of pines and hills.

The museum lays out three distinct gallerys , The Main gallery exhibit , displaying minerals and specimens from all over the world, The Northwest Mineral Gallery showcasing an unbeleivable display of the mineral heritage of Oregon , Idaho and Washington and The Dennis and Mary Murphy Petrified wood museum , displaying one of the premier petrified wood collections in the country.

Every citizen of the tri state area should visit this museum to see unbeleivable variety of minerals that exist under thier feet and in the hills and mountains of Washington , Oregon and Idaho.

The Dennis and Mary Murphy petrified wood display takes you back in time with fabulous identified slabs of trees from time forgottten.

This is also the museum with the famous " Alma Rose " Rhodocrosite from Colorado on display. Outside there is a wonderful walk in the pines with giant rock and minerals everywhere. the kids too can take a dig , in the kid rock pile and take home a piece of history. - sorry rockhounds only the kids...... I think I was jealous watching the kids sort for a special rock.

This is a great place and is a must on the rock and mineral bucket list. See thier website for days and times they are open.

Very cool museum. The main building is an unassuming ranch style house from the exterior so we didn't expect all the impressive displays of fossils, gems, crystals, etc that were inside. Plus the historical interior construction of the home itself. There is a lower level with a huge display room as well. The florescent room was neat.

There is also a second building with more displays. Even though we opted for the self guided tour, there were museum staff readily available who were happy to answer questions or explain displays more fully.

A plus - the bathroom facilities are built onto the house and were modern and clean.

The gift shop is interesting to look around in and also has little inexpensive things like polished stones, crystals, etc that the younger kids had fun picking out.
There was an area in the house that we saw could be rented out for events and according to their website they have outdoor event space as well.

Definitely worth a trip.

has rocks and minerals from all over the world.
Building is a bit older but this place is still a favorite for elementary school field trips.

We've been there twice in the past 9 years....it's an amazing collection and beautiful grounds. Go there...you'll love it.

It's jaw-dropping to see the diversity of rocks and minerals on display here in what began as a small private collection. You can't even take it all in adequately in one visit. If you have a Washington County Library card you can reserve a "cultural pass" to be able to visit this museum (and a variety of other local attractions) for FREE. Don't leave without finding a little treasure in the gift shop.

My kids love going to this place and its not expensive. The rainbow room which is dark and changes lights which makes the rocks display different colors is their favorite. The museum has some fossils too like a dinosaur nest and a fish eating another fish. The staff is very helpful and knowledgeable. The displays all say were the rock or mineral was found and the gift shop has a lot of cheaper items for the kids as well as more expensive items for adults. The best time to go is a special event in the summer when vendors come in and setup on the back lawn area. The kids also love the rock pile which they can dig through and get one free rock and can purchase others they want.

I loved my visit to this museum. I've lived in Hillsboro my whole life but had never been. It was fun and I loved learning. It's surprising how much they fit on the property! My favorite two rooms were the blacklight room and the petrified wood room. The fossils were also super fun and I enjoyed the Oregon and northwest collections. The grounds were also beautiful and worth some time in the garden on a nice day. I would highly recommend a visit. My boyfriend and I spent around 2 hours, but you could spend much less or much more and still have a great visit.

The Rice museum is an old 2 story house that stores rocks,fossils and petrified wood. The house smells musty and old. They also have a separate building with more rocks right next door. There is so much to look at you can stay for hours. My favorite room was the florescent rocks. But I really didn't think the $10 admission was worth it.

Absolutely fantastic collection of rocks, minerals, petrified wood, fossils and more from all around the world.

This place is for people of all ages. My sister, Mother and I went to see the wonders this Museum holds. Rocks, gems and precious stones from all over the State of Oregon, as well as the world. The room where the rocks glow in The dark are especially awesome!

If you like rockhounding and looking a some wonderful geological specimens this is the place to go. They also have a great gift shop with many beautiful goodies!

I wok near here and had seen the signs, finally stopping in for a visit. It's not cheap, ~$18, but is worth it, especially if you have a geological interest. The ranch house where it's located is the only ranch house on the Historical Register.

I didn't have enough time to look at all the various types of rocks here, both indoors and out. It is run by a family and is sort of a tour at your own pace kind of place. The house is very interesting also.

I don't know much about rocks but visited this place with a geology major and museum buff, who was absolutely fascinated, and I not only learned a lot but want to return. It's an amazing collection and will be fun to share with more out of town visitors in the future.

This museum has such an extensive collection of rocks, minerals, petrified wood and fossil specimens. My kids and I have been there three times and have enjoyed each visit.

If you are a rock hound, this is your heaven! The variety and displays of minerals and stones are amazing and GORGEOUS!

There's a decent collection of rocks/gemstones, etc, considering the size of the building. Worth it if you're interested in that stuff. They also have a room with fluorescent stones.

We'd driven past here for years before visiting earlier this year. Were pleasantly surprised by just how extensive the collection here is. In particular the petrified wood. Many items here that I've not seen in larger national geological museums! WELL worth a visit and we'll be taking family there over the holidays.

I spent 4 hours walking through and want to go again. I wish we could take pictures. So many cool rocks!

This is an amazing museum that few people seem to know about. The grounds of it are beautiful too and I have been to a wedding there. The rocks, minierals and artifacts it holds are very, very interesting.

This place is a bit off the beaten path for visitors to Portland but it is worth the drive, if you have the time. The extent and quality of the collection is astonishing. An added bonus is that the exhibit is in the custom built residence of the original collectors. Wonderful attention was paid to architectural details and materials in the construction. This is a good place to visit for young and old. If you are adults only I'd ask first if there are school trips scheduled for the time you plan to visit.

Took our 11-year old kiddo to this year's ThunderEgg hunt for Easter, and he had a blast selecting and having his thundereggs cut onsite, and also buying an uncut geode that he was able to help crank/crack open!

Although the event was sold out and busy, the volunteers kept things nicely organized, and even the parking was convenient.

Great experience, and we'd visit again some time!

I am crazy about rocks!! What a fabulous place! I spent 2 1/2 hours there and Icould have been there longer. There were also some fossils that were so intriguing !! If you have even a slight interest in rocks you must stop in. There is a small shop on site that sells jewelry and polished agates and rocks. I enjoyed playing with the displays, I wanted to buys handfuls of everything!!

There are rocks that glow in the dark, rocks from all over the world, fossils and all manner of lovely things in the gift shop. There is a outdoor picnic area with a place where kids can pick a free rock! pretty cool.

It is an amazing place to go see. We always have to go back because there are so many rooms you can look and look and look at the all of the fabulous rocks and minerals in their collection!!

Each time we leave the kids found something new to rave about...

This is the only *pure* rock and mineral museum in the PDX area. It was a family home and hobby, and so many folks were awed by so many of the displays that the Rice family made the home into the museum. Great collections of Thundereggs, and Oregon favorite and unique to our volcanic past. A modest fee for entry. Located west on Hwy 26 at the Helvetia exit.

The Rice NW Museum of Rocks and Minerals is a place I've driven by for years but never visited until recently. My third grade sons (twins) went there on a school field trip and came home raving about it. So we took them again on family trip.

The museum is housed in an unpretentious building, as far as museums go. But it is not unlike the amazing displays of thunder eggs and geodes inside--you have no idea of the spectacular features until you see the insides.

The Alma Rose, one of the rarest of minerals, is stunning and surreal, as if created by Dali. It's one of the largest specimens of Rhodochrosite in the world. (I never heard of Rhodochrosite until the boys told me about it.)

There is an extensive collection of petrified wood logs. The local gem society was hosting a workshop on gem faceting on the day of the visit. Its members gave demonstrations and explanations to the kids. Also for the kids is a large rock pile for the kids to sift through that holds some of the interesting rock types on display. Each kid can keep a small rock as part of the admission fee.

The great collection of meteorites, some boulder sized and of gleaming metal, polished and pitted by a supersonic, fiery passage through the earth's atmosphere. They are touchable too.

The museum offers much more--rocks, minerals, precious metals and gems of great range and variety.

The Museum is about 25 minutes from downtown Portland in a rural setting. It is easily accessed from Highway 26.

This little museum is the largest of its kind in the Pacific Northwest with more than 20,000 items. The specimens come from around the world, many personally unearthed by the Rices, in whose home the collection is housed. The collections include gemstones, minerals, fossils, meteorites, and some artifacts.

I came here with my daughter's family, and we had a fabulous Saturday afternoon exploring all the rooms at this museum. The three children, ages 3, 6 and 10, were enthralled with everything they saw and were in no hurry to leave. They all had a favorite rock or gem. We all highly recommend this museum!

Worth the trip! We discovered this museum about 9 months ago and have been three times since.

The kids love the displays and the gift shop. I love the amazing specimens and the well preserved vintage 1950s home that houses the collection.

If you happen to visit during one of their festivals you'll meet some very interesting people and the kids will have a chance to purchase a geode and have it cut on the spot.

Great place for any rock hound!

This is tucked away in farmland near Hillsboro just off Hwy 26. Suggest you Google it to get good directions. It's a large home converted into a rock museum. They have cut rock samples from all over the word plus a great display of gold from all over the world. Highly recommend this place. Take a picnic lunch and they have plenty of outdoor space surrounded by large trees to picnic.

Went here via a Groupon had enjoyed the heck out of it. I've been meaning to go back again but have been busy. This place is like no other!

I took my 3rd grade son and his friends to the museum after their school decided to cancel the field trip they normally took there. I was surprised by how much there is to see and how well the museum is run. A nice little treasure in our own backyard.

This place has been featured on "Atlas Obscura". A hidden gem just off of OR26 highway! There's even a huge pile of geodes and other treasures for kids to sort through and keep. Well displayed collection, including a fairly large meteorite!

I spent the afternoon at this home / museum. It is interesting to see that the former owners home is now a museum. I really liked the part of the museum that shows how common every day products come from rocks.

We were just looking for something in the area for ourselves and the grandkids when we decided to check the muse in out. Nobody in our group is a rockhound but we found this museum to be very interesting if for no other reason than to be amazed at Mother Natures detail and beauty. Very unusual specimens and informative exhibits. Looking at rocks in a new way.

This museum has a wonderful collection of fossils, gold from all over the world, crystals, agates, petrified woods, gems... Also a nice place outside in backyard to picnic if weather permits. There is no cafe. There is a gift shop and youth can also pick a rock to take home with them included in price of admission.

I think this museum is like the Smithsonian of the West. Wonderful displays and little shop for anyone interested in nature, gemstones and minerals. You will see things here you will see no where else.

Our group of six visited here because two of us are very interested in rocks and minerals. Well, it turned out to be a trip favorite for everyone. The collection is simply amazing and very well displayed. The history and architecture of the house are interesting as well. The staff was very welcoming and the grounds are beautiful, with some local wildlife making appearances. It's hard to describe how surprisingly fascinating this place turns out to be.

There are lots of things to see in this rather small but very interesting collection. It is in a former home outside of Portland, kinda cool with it's original 50-60's modern fittings, a fun side attraction. They have a nice gift shop here too, and I have picked up some amazing, one of kind gifts at extremely good prices. I go here once or twice a year, Christmas shopping is fun for unusual things you won't see at the mall.

This is a (forgive the pun) a gem of a place, with a lot of very interesting rocks and fossils and well-informed docents. They are extremely welcoming to school groups, and do a great job with a very interesting and well-paced tour.

Such a cool place. A bit pricey at $10 a head, but they have some pretty amazing specimens and a really cool gift shop with a good price spectrum. To us, it rivals the Smithsonian collection in Washington D.C., albeit sans the Hope diamond and precious jewels.

An amazing 2 story private home custom-made into space capable of properly displaying a world class
Mineralogical collection. Set in a thick grove of tall beautiful trees, with outdoor tables and lawn used for summer rock fairs; It is a calming, intimate location to admire, learn and connect with both rare and unusual earth treasures and to see the ordinary In a new context.

A lifetime collection of fabulous specimens off all kinds. Special petrified wood cuts 3 feet across and polished. Gold specimens, nice gift shop too. Budget 2 hours to see it all.

Collections have some really odd looking rocks and minerals from around the world. The glow-in-the-dark rock display is really great. Good museum for kids, as I think all kids love rocks and they are designed for it as they host school field trips all the time (I vaguely remember going in elementary school before the museum was established).

Small museum, but their collection of odd crystalline structures that look like fur growing on rock is wonderful. Lovely colors in many of the pieces and a delightful little gift shop make it a recommended stop.

This modest museum holds a treasure of rocks - I was very impressed by the variety - as well as how the displays actually worked well within this ranch style house. Not impressive when you drive up - however once I started through the exhibits I was completely drawn in - and hated to see it end.

Nice little museum of a personal rock collector. Specimens from around the world and from every geological age. Nice country drive to get there and a rock pile for kids to dig around in.

Little gem hidden away. Museum is located in a house off Hwy 26. The grounds around the house are nice. There are LOTS of things to look at in the museum. Worth the trip.

I love the Rice Museum. They have a very large display of photo-luminescent rocks, both near UV and far UV reactive ones. By far one of my favorite geology displays. They also have good displays of rare, hard to collect, and unique formations. Recommended for anyone into geology of any age.

This was one of the coolest places we saw on our vacation to the Northwest. This is one of the most extensive rock and mineral museums in the country. I am not a rock lover, but this museum was very interesting. There were so many unique rocks from all over the world. The house (which actually use to be the Rice's house) is amazing in itself and houses more of the collection. This truly is a top-rate collection and even houses some real gold nuggets. We visited on a Sunday morning right as they opened. They weren't busy and the staff was very friendly. Besides the house and other building they have a rock garden you can walk around in (we didn't because it was too cold). The gift shop is also amazing and has many great souvenirs to buy. I bought about 15 stones ($1/stone), and my dad bought one of the rocks on display. You absolutely need to take time to see this museum if you are in the Portland area. Make sure and check their website as they have limited hours Thursday and Fridays 1p-5p, and Saturdays and Sundays 10a-5p.

Saw this museum on Groupon and decided to see what it was all about as it was on my route from Tillamook to Portland. I am certainly glad that I did! Is a little hidden but not far off the beaten path at all and there is signage all the way to guide you. I was only expecting to be there maybe an hour or so but I ended up staying over two hours as there is no way to see it thoroughly in just an hour! Collection is quite extensive to include petrified wood and dinosaur eggs to name just a very few and there are many hands on opportunities as well. Great way to spend a few hours and see some very cool things!

I attended with grade school class. Great place to introduce kids to geology. That said, the collection is mind blowing for rock lovers. Who would have thought that hidden under the towering Douglas Fir trees is an excellent rock museum.

The Rice NW Museum of Rocks and Minerals is great for youngsters, mom and dad, and any others who enjoy geology. Just the right size so that youngsters won't get bored and grandpa won't have to rest. The Rice house is very interesting from an architectural standpoint. Ask a friendly staff person to point out some of the unique features. Free parking. Check on their special events like the Easter Egg Hunt (hunting thunder eggs, Oregon's official state rock.)

Fabulous collection of rocks, minerals, gems and fossils is a wonderful old home. The only better collection I have seen is the Smithsonian. I got to touch so many things like a 2 foot high emerald. Also fascinating is the home of very rich rockhounds that left their and many other contributors collection to the foundation. Lots of petrified wood, the most I have ever seem, prehistoric plants, huge trees and slices polished and quite lovely. $9 for seniors and a cute gift shop, with real treasures from the rock world. So many thunder eggs- Oregon state rock! They really reach out to children....

My BFF asked if we would join her as she is an avid rock and stone collector. We are so pleased with this little gem (pun intended)! We have been meaning to stop there for some time too and really glad we did. We explored every room, with the help of the nice host who kept us clued in to what was special in each room and what was to come. So many beautiful pieces and great stories of our NW rock hounds, My daughter enjoyed it too and we left with some really great rocks from the gift store. Recommended for sure.

We have lived within 5 miles of the museum for several years and finally took the time to visit it.
We were totally surprised by how extensive the quantity and quality of the rocks on display were.
A great experience for All ages.

This is a great place to spend a few hours, perhaps on a rainy day. The whole house is filled with all different kinds of rocks and minerals. Most everyone will find something they would like here. While not everyone will appreciate the collection, if you have any interest at all in rocks, minerals, where they come from, what they look like (including fluorescent ones) there will be something here for you.

Now, I may be more likely to find rocks more interesting than the average person, but I went to the Rice museum with that already in mind, and I still wasn't really that excited to go (upon finding out that the museum was right off of the highway, and in a 1970's style house that appears small, and, well, just like a house). Upon pulling in the driveway my family expected to spend a half-hour tops, but once we went inside, we couldn't pull our eyes away. It was astounding, this collection. Crystals 4 ft long, an opal filled thunder egg as big as a chair, a meteor bigger than your head, and, countless rare and beautiul rocks that you could barely imagine. It was an amazing place, and I would visit again in a heart-beat.

My kids love coming here. They have a great collection. I would recommend this place to anyone whether especially if they are rock hounds.

The Rice family turned their family home into a rock lover's paradise. Display rooms, a rock hunting pile outside and a nature trail. The garage became the gift shop and at 2pm you can accompany Lisa on the guided tour throughout the museum. Opals, petrified wood, gold and cool red and yellow rocks more valuable than diamonds! One was the Oregon state gem. AND there are picnic tables outside. I loved every minute!

Nice location just west of Portland on highway 26 on a pastoral setting this place is a return to 1970. That's just fine as the collection is world class, especially local specimens . I found the gift shop a bit cheesy however .

This museum offers a lot of info on rocks...there's a dinosaur specimen....and dinosaur eggs ...they give free tours and the Public libraries offer free admission to this museum in the cultural pass

I took my daughter to visit the rock museum this past weekend and was pleasantly surprised. Besides a vast collection of rocks and minerals, the museum houses petrified wood samples as well as fossils. The displays are informative and explain certain events not discussed in the average public school classroom. I encourage people to visit and support smaller museums such as the Rice Museum because it is crucial for their survival.

My family avoided going for a couple of years, I mean really, rocks?? Our grandson's class went on a field trip and drug us there the next weekend. It was amazing!! Acouple of months later, our 8 year old grandson insisted on having a birthday party trip there for he and his friends. My favorite room was the petrified wood and the kids love what they call the 'dark' room with all of the luminescent rocks. The Rice Museum is a must see when you are in Hillsboro. I promise you won't be sorry. ........Now see what you did, I want to go back. I wonder what the grandkids are doing this weekend?

This museum has wonderful displays of fossils, crystals, gems, petrified wood, rocks, minerals from all over the world. The museum is the former home of the Rice family, so there are two levels filled with the displays. There is also a gift shop, another building with the focus on the Pacific Northwest minerals and rocks. It is located off the highway in a lovely parklike setting. Great place for a picnic! The grandkids loved this, and so did hubby and I!!! Will definitely return!

A Sunday afternoon, Feb. 8, 2015, gave us the opportunity to view the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals, an amazing display. Raised as a child going to rock and mineral shows, this by far surpassed anything I had ever seen. Near Highway 26 in Hillsboro, OR, West of Portland, though small compared to most attractions, it is a must see. The collection originally begun in 1938 by Richard and Helen Rice grew to encompass their basement, then their house, and finally was donated to the public. The collection is housed in what used to be the Rice home.

Check the hours Wednesday through Sunday and start at the middle building, the small but well stocked store, to purchase your tickets. I felt the moderate admission price was appropriate to the amazing collection.

Though we toured the museum with three granddaughters, and it held their interest, adults or seniors would enjoy a more leisurely pace. Some aspects we especially enjoyed were the amazing Northwest collection, the building on the right from the store. It contained the largest opal-filled thunderegg in the world. In the house I loved the display of meteorites, as I collect them myself. The rainbow gallery of rocks and minerals exposed them to untraviolet light, revealing stunning colors. The display of agates and stunning mineral formations was beautiful. The pertified wood gallery not only exhibited sizeable pieces of petrified wood, but stunning polished sections. The fossil gallery was another amazing feature, including dinosaur eggs.

Enjoy this stunning collection and take your time.

Fun and educational. Nice displays and cool rocks:)

We were impressed, lots and lots of really neat rock. fossils, crystals, meteorites, petrified wood .glow under ultraviolet light ones, and much more. the displays were clean, well lit and interesting! The staff was fun and knew a lot, would stop by once in a while, while we were browsing. The best rock display I have ever seen!

Rock museum in a 50s house. The Rices collected rocks from all over the world. Many interesting displays especially petrified wood and thunder eggs. Knowledgeable docents. You don’t need to be interested in geology to find the museum interesting. Many hands on opportunities.

This was well worth the visit -- a place we'd known about for years before finally getting around to seeing it. We had no idea there was so much to see here! I don't know what I enjoyed more: the fossils and rocks, or the well-preserved MCM (Mid-Century Modern) family home that has since been converted entirely into a museum.

Our grandchildren who have diverse interests both found lots to enjoy here: a fossil room with an incredibly preserved baby dinosaur (form intact because it was killed and preserved by volcanic ash), the fluorescent rock room, beautiful gemstones and crystals, petrified wood, agate slices, and more! The displays include some well-designed explanatory materials (how are geodes formed?) Be sure not to miss the guided talks and tours from the knowledgeable curator!

Admission can be a bit pricey, but do consider applying it to an annual membership.

I have been here several times and it has a very good collection of rocks and minerals. It is much bigger than what one would expect to find in Hillsboro.

I have been here with adults, some trips with kids as well. The place has fossils, meteoroids, fluoresent (phosphoresent, to be more accurate) rocks (the one that glows), thundereggs etc.

It should easily take 1 to 2 hours here. Well worth the time whether you go there with or without kids

As all other reviewers have said, we expected folksy and boring. NOT! Spectacularly beautiful gemstones, petrified wood, crystals, fossils. All 3 of us couldn't stop saying "wow!" Every new room was a new wow. Totally unexpected amazingness.

I have been to The Rice multiple times and always love it. One of the top rock, gem and mineral museums in the nation.
Definitely worth the trip! Check it out.

It's also great for the architecture and beautiful country setting.
There are many specimens chosen for beauty including a very impressive collection of petrified wood. I liked it as well as the Smithsonian's exhibit.

The rock museum is great! It is worth the trip to Hillsboro. The museum is full of so many different kinds of rocks from all over the world. They are all very unique and unusual. Also, the way they are displayed is so professional. The entire staff is very helpful. We enjoyed visiting with Vicky and her staff. The museum is very interesting!

I have had the pleasure to peruse the rock and mineral collections at this museum a half a dozen times with my family, adult groups, and leading field trips for my students. Each room houses collections that could be seen in top notch international museums. My students loved the black light room with illuminated rocks/minerals. The setting is a large house on beautiful, treed acreage about 25 minutes west of downtown Portland. Make this a must see if you live in or are visiting the metro area. You won't be disappointed.

Fascinating collection of all kinds of rocks and minerals. Outstanding collection of "rocks" including fossils and crystals, gems and volcanic rocks etc. Well worth seeing what our world has hidden away just waiting to be dug up. Nicely displayed in what was once just a very nice residence hidden in the trees. The owner was a "rock hound" and collected this huge array of interesting; beautiful; unusual and some unbelievable, specimens "treasures" burried in the ground, in caves, on the beaches etc from all around the world. Definitely worth a visit. Even kids are fascinated!

Yo, do I see the souls of my ancestors and have entered the Halls of Valhalla!
Okay, not quite that, however for any Rockhound or wannabe, the Rice Museum is it. I don't remember the first time I went, but I always find something new, each and everytime I go there. Rice is one of those niches where you can see the Rocks and Minerals that are always right at your feet and I highly recommend the Rice Museum as a pick stop as you wander the State of Oregon along Highway 26.
I always think of my yard as a mini version and use the Rice Museum as a reference for much of what I find while fishing the streams of Oregon, especially over in Columbia and Clatsop Counties where I grew up.
This is also a super source for Educators to bring Youth to for a learning experience. Young and Old will "ohhh and ahhh" as they wander the Museum and the grounds.

One of the best museums of it's type in the United States.
My kids love it ! Along with interacting with my youngster, their very helpful tour guides explain what each mineral is used for. They make it a fun and interesting experience.

The Rice Museum was so much better than I expected! My adult son and I were there for about 90 minutes and really enjoyed it.

My great uncle Desmond Hinds donated his rock collection to the Rice NW Museum. They have a great variety of beautiful things to look at and a gift shop where you can purchase your own little treasures. The museum is located in a lovely country setting, which is a bonus. To get more info on all the things the museum has to offer you can look at their website: http://ricenorthwestmuseum.org/

Very well-organized private museum, emphasizing Oregon rocks, minerals, and fossils. LOTS of beautiful petrified wood slabs ! Also mineral crystals from the U.S. and elsewhere. Gift shop also.
Allow 60 to 90 minutes to see all the rooms,
It's not open every day, so check out the website for days & hours.

We absolutely loved visiting the Rice museum of rocks and minerals. The guide who did a small tour of the fossils room was so nice and knowledgeable.
The different rooms were impressive and I loved the fact that we were in the actual home of the Rice family. There were many very impressive rocks and minerals on display. I spent a good bit of time outside in the rockpile with my son, who got to pick a rock to take home (all kids do). There's plenty on display to see outside as well.
My son got fed up at some point, but I'm definitely planning to go back again on my own at some point.

We bought an Oregon fun card and had never heard of this museum but since it was part of the deal we went.

I looked at the web site ahead of time it would be 8 dollars per person and on Saturday there was a free tour with admission . So we go to admissions and ask about the tour and told to go to this particular building at 2:00 so we go there about 1:40 there is a sign saying there is a board meeting till 1 o'clock since it is after one I open the door. BIG MISTAKE this guy motions violently at me to get out! It was shocking and about made me cry ! Then several of the board members come out and apologize;-) But the "Man" who was so rude comes out to tell me how important he is and that this meeting is about the running of the whole place and I was wrong to interrupt as he is very important and clearly has the whole universe in his hands LOL I simply stated that the sign said we could come in and I was told hat is were the tour starts ,he informed me that if I was lucky we would get a tour as he was conducting important business! Unbelievably self important was this guy! So the board is waaay out of touch but whatever!
We did get the tour and the lady leading it Ramona was fantastic she was very knowledgeable, funny and really made up for the nasty board guy! She really loves the job and it comes across! There is some great stuff in this museum fossils meteorites, gold gems. The house is a fantastically bad ranch with horrible tile and curtains and the bathrooms are fabulously bad and worth looking at! It was very neat and we were there for over 3 hours. Parking was easy and free. I would recommend this place but do not interrupt the board!

Such a wonderful collection housed in a older house. Volunteers are so knowledgeable & fun to listen to! Great place for kids & adults alike

Such a nice place, so many rocks. They also have some fossils, and a nice wooded area in the back for walking around a bit. The bathrooms are clean.

If you like geology or you are a fan of beautiful minerals, this is the most amazing museum. There are many rooms full of interesting minerals from the NW and around the world. The building is a former home (very large). This is one of the top 10 rock and mineral places in the world. Take the tour to get the most out of it!

Quiet, pleasant setting.
Usually not crowded.
Heading west on 26, you have to take the exit way before you get to it.

A quaint museum with Northwest charm that houses a wealth of world class specimens! My 13 year old son and I visited the museum for a homeschool field trip. When we arrived I was leery that we had made a mistake. The exterior was clean well trimmed, but it was a house/garage and shop converted into a museum...I was worried. Upon entering the gift shop (where you get your tickets) it was clear we were in for an exciting adventure. We toured all of the goodies for purchase and received a wonderful synopses of things to do. The shop was filled with AMAZING specimens from around the NW and some foreign areas as well. After completing that space we moved through the once home, now museum space, and was continued to thrilled! This is worth the drive and entrance fee.

Don't let the fact that it's in a house fool you. This is a very extensive, fine collection of rocks, minerals and petrified woods. Everything is well labeled with what, when and where it was found. Highly recommended.

Two buildings housing extensive collection of specimens from all over the world. I love that the Rice's home is the main building for the museum. It shows how dedicated the Rice's were to their love of collecting! The "dark" room is amazing!

If you like rocks and minerals, this is the place to go. There must be thousands. Every possible kind is displayed here. Not a huge place but it is jam packed of specimens to view. Has a little gift shop to buy some types to take home.

Four of us went from ages 60-95 and we all walked away amazed and impressed. I have lived near/driven by this Museum for over 30 years. Who knew rocks and minerals could be so spectacular! We only stayed an hour as the 95 year old tires easily - there are chairs in many areas to rest and an elevator. (I think perhaps 2+ hrs visit would be good) BUT IF YOU ARE REALLY INTO ROCKS AND MINERALS - YOU'LL NEED LONGER!!! Sadly did not get to the "Northwest Gallery"! But thankfully we went for the BEST room (Main building basement) FIRST! There is more than adequate details about each display, it is up to you to read fully or not - if you do you'll be there for days! :-) Each room is so different - you will surely find something that interests you. Even if you are not into rocks/minerals it is worth a visit if you are in the area.

The whole place is just incredible. They have a very knowledgeable and experienced staff on hand. I have brought in several speicemens to be identified and within a few minutes I knew what I had.

This place is a fun afternoon with the kids. It's got a good balance of "explore on your own" and "listen to an expert." They periodically have someone talking about one of their exhibits. We joined one on Meteors with my 11 year-old and it was fantastic. Very inclusive and conscious of the ausience's ages.

If you get the membership, you'll also get access to a number of other local museums on a rotating schedule.

We took a tour with the Boy Scouts, I loved it. This is one of the largest collections of rocks I have ever seen, and all privately owned. MUST SEE

We are rock museum junkies and this is the best we have been to. It is a fairly large facility housed in a funky retro home which is an attraction in itself. It is in the wooded/farm area of Hillsboro right off US 26. The have special events throughout the year which would probably be worth planning for. There is a gift shop and a 'take-one' free rock pile for kids. There are trails around the property and you can make an afternoon of it. There was also a small building with some educational displays that we did not have time for.

The museum is set up with themed rooms and very well organized. The kids loved the glow room. There is a whole basement of large glass displays with massive gold pieces and other amazing minerals. The thundereggs and fossils are impressive also.

This is not to be missed if you enjoy this kind of thing. There is a seperate related shop in the Streets of Tanasbourne with all price ranges of items, but dont miss the museum.

This is a great place to spend an hour or two. The rocks are well labeled and organized. The employees there are very friendly and will answer your questions.

My husband and I are in to things like this anyway, but we were pleasantly surprised by all of the rocks, petrified wood, gems and minerals here. We spent about an hour looking around and taking pictures. It was definitely worth it-meteors, huge pieces of petrified wood and they have a room that is has a black light to show the luminescence of some of the rocks-super cool!

Very interesting for those who enjoy rocks and minerals. A beautiful old home setting in the trees.
Basement rock collection with stairs to navigate.

I lived for years near Portland and I never heard of this museum until AAA's Via magazine mentioned it.
I happen to love anything that nature makes, specially when it surpasses aesthetically anything that mankind can conjure up.
This very well curated museum is a gem. A small gem, but, as we say in Italy "the best wine comes from small barrels".
Very well worth a trip!

I wasn't sure what to expect at this museum. It's in an old house that had been occupied by the owners of this collection. I thought it was quite interesting and probably would not have made a special trip here but in as much as we were in the area decided it would be a good stop

The museum is a genuine delight for all ages. It has a world-class collection of meteorites, petrified wood, fossils, crystals, and so much more, including the world's largest opal-filled thunderegg. A fluorescent gallery adds a nice touch. It's in a 1952 ranch style home that belonged to founders and rockhounds Richard and Helen Rice. There are two buildings: the main museum in the house and a smaller gallery. The house itself is a treasure--it's on the National Register of Historic Places. I loved the extensive use of natural stone and native woods. The grounds are picturesque, surrounded by old growth timber and lots of domestic plants. Guided and self-directed tours are available. They have a small gift shop; just watch for a few trinkets made in China. Admission is about $7.00. My husband and I took our 8 and 11 year old grandchildren in August. They thought it was "cool." The museum is just off of Highway 26, about 20 miles west of Portland. This was our first visit; we didn't know what we were missing.

We easily spent a couple hours here just looking at all of the rocks and minerals. There are two buildings of displays, with tons of local, as well as international specimens. There were several people around the rooms who were very knowledgeable, and they do run tours that tell you about the minerals, the Rice family, and the house itself, though we went through it just by our selves.

We went just as adults, It would probably be something kids would find interesting, but they may run through it much more quickly than an adult would.

We have visited the Natural History Museum at the Smithsonian and the Rock and Mineral Display there - Rice NW Museum of Rocks and Minerals was just as good with some 'specimens' even more fabulous.
We were greeted by the Director as we drove in. He welcomed us. We paid our admission in the gift shop and then went to the Rice Home to see the two floors of displays and to see the home. The second building was not open due to a tree which fell on the roof in the previous days wind storm.
We will go back to see the displays again. This is a very impressive group of displays.

beautiful collection of amazing specimens......if you like rocks, this is a terrific way to spend a rainy afternoon!

As other reviewers stated, it is an impressive "museum". With the road construction nearby, initially it was challenging to find the museum; its hidden amongst trees even. Apparently it was a private home converted into the Rice Museum. When you arrive go to the gift shop to purchase your entry tickets.
We don't know much about rocks but the exhibits kept us interested. The displays were very interesting - we even read most of the captions. I was most impressed with the petrified woods and the beautiful colors. They also have a small gift shop. There is an outdoor space with larger rocks. There is even a rock pile for the children to select/buy rocks for $1.00 per pound. On the day we visited, aside from the gift shop cashier, there were no guides or additional staff to answer our questions in the museum. The exhibits are well maintained.

This is such a unique and special museum put together by experts in the field. The setting is in an older home with an informal parking lot but do not let that decide for you whether or not to visit. There are so many different displays, so much neat information and facinating things to look at. Some hands on activities for children and they will love the Rainbow Room with glow in the dark rocks. The gift shop is small but has many fun items for you to take home with you - of all different price levels. I encourage you to plan on 2 hours at this really neat place so you can look at everything.

I admit, I'm a nerd when it comes to rocks and minerals. I may not know what many of them are, but I kind of get lost in wonder while looking at geods, crystals, and fossils. This place does not disappoint!

I am not really a rock person..... however it is impossible not to be impressed with the collection. Amazing petrified wood, rocks that glow, etc. Its located in a 1950's house that belonged to the Rice family... the home alone is a trip! Go, see the rocks!

Being the only rockhound in the family, my suggestion of visiting this museum was greeted with a healthy bit of skepticism by the family. However when we were done everyone agreed it was well worth the stop. This is an amazing collection of rocks and minerals. In fact I can't recall another museum I have visited that contained anything close to this. The fact that it's all maintained in a house from the 1950s adds to the charm. We spent an hour here which was the right amount of time for non-rockhounds. I could have spent another hour.

Outside the Smithsonian, the best gem and mineral museum I have been to. A little hard to find, with limited hours of operation, it is worth it in every way. Make sure to allow enough time to visit all the different displays. The geode/thunderegg displays were impressive, and the petrified wood displays as good as anywhere.

Rice Museum is a huge, well displayed collection of rocks and minerals from all over the world. The museum itself is the former home of the Rice family. What a legacy they have left for all of us to enjoy! We saw crystals, gems, agates, jasper, petrified wood, thunder eggs, dinosaur eggs just to name a few. There are two levels of the original home filled with displays, as well as another building, and a gift store. It is a park like setting. It was so interesting and amazing the volume of the collection. My 8 year old granddaughter said," This is so cool!" It is the best place you have taken me!" It is a great place for school age and older to learn about Rocks and Minerals.

This museum is world-renowed for its collection of Rocks, minerals and meterorites. You will be amazed at the huge,beautiful collection of petrified wood, fossilized artifacts and gorgeous rock and mineral specimans, the majority collected right here in Oregon. There are samples of almost all gems, ores and fossilized wood fragments, some so large the Rice family had to build specialized saws to cut through the mass. A perfect outing for all ages! A must-see for all Oregonians!

Went to this museum years ago with my son on a class field trip. What an amazing museum hidden off the highway in a beautiful forest. The museum houses some of the most beautiful pieces and the knowledge gained has been a family conversation for many years.

I finally got around to checking out the Rice Museum, after years of thinking about it. I was pleasantly surprised at how big it is and how extensive and informative the displays are.

This place is a hidden treasure. As good or better than the mineral museum at the smithsonian. If your a rock hound you must go!

I visited the museum today with my daughter who was back home from college. Although we know little about rocks and minerals, we decided to go there because it was a rainy day. I would never have imagined that we would enjoy looking at rocks so much! This is a gem of a place and well kept secret!

We were so awed by everything we saw, especially the meteorites, dinosaur eggs and fossils. We couldn't believe our eyes and took so many pictures!

I am an elementary school teacher and was really impressed at how interesting they have made the place for kids. Kids (and adults) will especially love the fluorescent display! It was great to be able to touch so many of the rocks and minerals, we even got to touch a 4 billion year old meteorite!

It was so much fun, such a feast for the eyes that I will be returning here with my husband, and my daughter will be returning with her friends.

All rock hounds need to visit this museum!  The collection is the combined fruits of two families, one crazy for all things mineral and the other petrified wood artifacts.  The history of the home is also intriguing. The staff bust their buns maintaing and keeping this worthwhile establishment going.  Support them if you can as they do not have lasting endowment for the future and it is a really great collection.  Great for all ages.

The location of this museum can come as a surprise: tucked into a luscious fir forest is a mid-century, almost sprawling, single-story home built with loving care of gorgeous flagstone. Nothing significant hides that this was once a dream home not far from Portland. Yet you might miss the beautiful woodwork and interesting floors when you are dazzled by the array of rocks. A whole new meaning comes to light when you remember Charlie Brown saying "I got a rock" in his holiday stocking. These rocks are not just the color palette of Mother earth as painter, but also the tantalizing texture of the tales of what might lie beneath your feet.

Go. Go again. It's worth it. It's fun, pretty, peaceful, and an education. Not to mention a gift store.

i've visited many natural history museums, but have never seen such an extensive collection of various petrified wood species, geodes, thunder eggs, meteorites and artistically carved and polished specimens of quartz and jasper. An entire gallery is devoted to specimens collected in the Pacific Northwest.
A half hour from downtown Portland, we combined it with a visit to the Pittock mansion, which is more than half-way there.
The Rice's house, which now has the galleries, is a wood-worker's delight. The custom-crafted cupboards, and built-ins are remarkably engineered and finished.
There is a rockpile that kids can rummage through, and nice grounds where larger specimens are on display.
Outstanding and unique collection -- anyone who enjoys minerals should visit.

This is a good place to see just how many different kinds of rocks and minerals exist in the State of Oregon. Central Oregon has places for rockhounds and down towards Southern Oregon is lots of nicklel.

My grandson loves this place. He picks out rocks from the big pile outside, and some polished ones from the gift shop. There are displays of every kind of rocks, even gems and ones that glow. Everyone in the family enjoyed it.

Well there is a sign on the highway but it doesn't do justice to the place. Fascinating minerals on display. This showcases the beauty of nature. Great for all ages. Kudos to the people running it---they cant make a lot of money so its also a labor of love.

Take any age child to this museum and they will revel in the sizes, shapes and colors of these wonderful displays of rocks and minerals. the setting is very peaceful with huge fir trees surrounding the buildings. There is a gift shop (of course) that will even draw in a non rock enthusiast and chances are they will go home with something they loved.
An added bonus is the rock and mineral show where lots of vendors come and set up their tables with beautiful rocks they have collected and are selling at reasonable prices. Some can be a bit expensive, but so many booths have prices I can afford. I gave my grandchildren each 10.00 and they came home with so many treasures for their collections. their ages are 5, 6 7,8 and 11. (not all from one family).
The people there are super nice and seem to love seeing the children.
I highly recommend this adventure for any age. You will love it!

This attraction recently got mentioned in the AAA travel magazine as a local hidden gem.
Imagine going to someone's house. Probably like a great-grandparent's house (because it was built in the 1950s, and it was the super-modern fantastic "modern" version at that time) and the original wood trims (windows, doors), kitchens, and bathrooms are still there. Actually even the carpet is original (we will return to this in a minute).Half of my visit I was scrutinizing the house, which was the Rices' home while they collected these rock specimens.
The exhibits feel like home-made, DIY, science fair type handiwork. Do not expect the Smithsonian Institutions' Hall of Gems or the American Museum of Natural History level of curation but the exhibit-writers know their material.
Unfortunately it feels dated, with color photos that have faded... (I am reminded of my experience in the Istanbul Museum of Archeology where the exhibits were last revised in the 1980s). Since this is private and probably dependent on donations and volunteer-funded, this is pardonable. However, the smell in the upstairs of the house (main level) was off-putting. If the carpet in the house is original (and ignoring the thought that there could be an addition 80% of weight in that carpet because of the additional matter that has accumulated in a carpet), there has been pets or animals (Visiting or resident, I'm not sure) who have been through and marked it and you can smell it. So the carpet should be entirely changed out, which would offset the 'old-house' smell.

The place is best for small children and students learning geology and beginning natural scientists. Don't expect too much from the museum, but children will be delighted that the rock specimens in the shop are affordable (at a dollar or two, or less than 5$ for small take-home souvenirs). And the location's proximity to the suburbs of portland and it's short-time required to visit make it good for short attention spans and short day-trips.

Friend of our took myself and wife to this simply fabulous museum tucked away in a ranch house off of Hwy 26. The place is so fabulous the ranch house is the first of its kind to be accepted to the National Registry of Historic Places because of its superlative collection of rocks, minerals and petrified wood. Smithsonian staffers touring here simply raved about it. Our friend got us in with his rock club card from Washington state so we avoided the $6 senior charge although we'd have gladly paid it for the incredible two hours we spent touring this fabulous facility. Open only Wednesday thru Sunday 1-5 PM make this a must see when in the Portland area with easy to follow directions on their website.

Never been to a gem museum or rock display like this one. Complete collections, fossils, gem stones and thundereggs abound here. Rockhounds, you will need a good 2 hrs. To enjoy this fantastic place.

So glad we stopped at this quirky little museum. They have packed an astonishingly large amount of rocks and minerals into this house and its outbuildings. Everything is well labeled and beautifully arranged. It is definitely worth a few hours of your time.

I brought my father (a former rock hound and geo-chemist) here because I thought he might enjoy it. Turned out I liked it just as much! Beautiful and educational displays, so much to see! Helpful, knowledgeable staff. Doing the self-guided tour was nice because you can go quickly through some of the areas and take your time in others. I imagine the guided tours would be really educational though. My father was so impressed with the layout, displays, information placards, and the overal abundance of specimans!

There are lots of places to look at rock collections. The Rice Museum is one of the best places, especially if you know quite a bit about rocks. I don't know beans about rocks. We spent about two hours going through the museum and reading the signs on the exhibits. The museum does have quite a bit of educational displays.

The specimens are well presented. Some of them, especially the petrified wood, are nothing short of spectacular. The collection is housed in the former Rice family home. That, in itself, is very interesting. It is an example of middle fifties first class architecture. The bathrooms and the kitchen are something to see as well as the stone construction.

Don't miss the opportunity to visit!

Very interesting and informative. Beautiful displays.
If you love rocks, you'll love this place.

Provided historical and geographic information using rocks and minerals.

Great place to visit with young children.

I've driven past this museum many times over the years -- always on my way to the beach or back. I've frequently commented to my wife that I'd like to visit this museum sometime.

We took advantage of our Oregon Zoo memberships to get reciprocal admission to the Rice Museum. We arrived just in time for a guided tour through the facility by a retired geologist, very informative.

They have a large variety of exhibits of petrified wood and thundereggs.

It was a fun visit.

I went to the Rice Museum because my Dad donated some crystals from his days of owning a rock crushing business when I was growing up. I was amazed at the extensive collection and the fact that the Rice family opened up their amazing home as part of the museum. Even if you are not interested in rocks...you will enjoy seeing the kitchen in this home/museum!

I have been here a couple times - once with my kids (a HUGE HIT) and once to officiate a wedding on the grounds. Amazing place, great staff that is very knowledgeable about the rocks and geology, and beautiful grounds!! Would highly recommend especially if your trying to get your kids to appreciate the beauty and uniqueness of our earth ...

I joined my boyfriend to this museum as he enjoys learning more about what comes from the earth. I was amazed as what I saw, I thought I would be bored, but what I saw seemed surreal.

A really cool museum, fabulous collection and surprisingly interesting , even to non enthusiasts. Spent an hour looking at the many fossils, rocks, minerals and gems.

So an interesting place. Very family friendly. Our 5 year old loved the checklist treasure hunt and getting to take a rock home. Staff were so helpful and mid century home was amazing facility for this collection.

Really nice staff. Amazing exhibits. Well maintained. Reasonably priced. There are some downright shocking pieces in this collection. I was amazed and I'm an avid museum visitor.

Very extensive collection of rocks, minerals and meteorites, most collected by the former owners of the house. Special things for kids and many rooms have unique displaysor special effects. Small admission charge, but I have visited several times and often take out of town visitors.

We saw the museum on the way to the beach and decided to go back another day. Glad we did, as we spent two and a half hours going through the museum. They have an incredible collection of minerals and rocks. The collection of rocks from Oregon was most impressive and the variety of petrified woods was spectacular! The staff were very informative and friendly. The cost of the tour is a very good value. We highly recommend a trip the Rice Museum!

Visited here with visitor from UK. Expected a small shed - not the beautiful house that is the museum. Collection of rocks, crystals and polished wood is breathtakingly beautiful. A must see for future visitors.

I really wasn't expecting much, but once again, I was pleasantly surprised! They amount of rocks they have is crazy! Wall to wall every room in the house! They are so beautiful and rocks that are only found there! It's in someone's actual house from the 50"s so the interior is old but kind of fun to look at if you are young!! The gift shop is in what used to be the garage and it has lots of cool and nifty things for really reasonable prices! Go here! I promise you won't be disappointed!!

Spent several hours here while in town for a soccer tournament. We lucked out and it was their summer festival. The museum itself is truly a gem and the building it's housed in is so interesting. The grounds were fun to explore and there were fun children activities like panning for gold and a scavenger hunt. My 12 year old son said he would have liked to stay longer...Always a good sign in my book

The entire house (which is pretty cool in itself) is full of a variety of rock collections, including fossils, glow room, gold and other cool items. Great rock pile out back that you can pick a rock from. Also gift shop on site.

Never cared about rocks? You will after viewing the huge rock and mineral collection at the Rice Museum. And it's housed in the ultimate Mid-Century abode.

This is a fun little place to take the family so the kids can discover a gorgeous collection of natural wonders or if you're into rocks, minerals or precious gems; it is a very interesting place to wander through. The family has run this for a loooong time and it is one of the most amazing single collections of anything I've seen. My favorite was the petrified wood collection which was sliced from logs using an enormous rock saw that the late Mr. Rice built himself.

Always something new to see every time I go. Kids and adults love this place! Great place for a field trip or family outing.

This is in what used to be a private home, and it's one of the best rock and mineral collections I've seen outside of the Smithsonian. It's also a wonderful place to bring kids.

This place is fun for all ages. It's educational and fun to see so many different rocks etc.. under one location. We love the glowing room. We've been here several times when our kids at all ages growing up and it never gets old!

This is a must stop for those with an interest in gems. It is a vast collection of some spectacular specimens. From meteorites, petrified wood, moon rocks, a rock from Mars, to fossilized dinosaur eggs, this place will entertain and educate.

This is probably the largest and most overlooked "gem" in the Portland area. If you didn't know it was there you would miss it.

If you are interested in minerals and gemology, you MUST visit this museum! It is filled with extraordinary examples of unusual and unique minerals from talc to diamond and everything in between.

I can not recommend this place enough!!

We have been here several times. The Easter egg hunt is great for kids and adults alike as everyone gets a geodesic. The museum has a lot of unique and interesting displays

We incorporated Rice Museum into a day long birthday/anniversary event with friends following wine tasting and to end up at Helvetia Tavern with even more friends. We didn't allow enough time and virtually had to tear ourselves away from this interesting and captivating museum.

We visited the Rice Museum of Rocks and Minerals in Hillsboro, Oregon. Its a bit off the beaten path, located in what used to be someone's home... built out of stone. The house is packed full of all kinds of interested rocks and minerals. A must-see for rock lovers.
Admission prices are reasonable. I think it opens at 1:00 most days, but check their website for more details.

My boyfriend is a geology nerd, so when this place popped up it was impossible to pass up.

First, the staff is very friendly and always make you feel welcome.

Second, the variety and sheer number of specimens on display is astounding. Plus they're all so remarkably well kept it's impossible to not take a picture or two. (I took over 100). It's truly fascinating plus there are a handful of interactive exhibits that will keep the kidlets interested.

Would definitely go again if I am in the area.

Okay so on our last visit I saw the sign for this rock-mineral museum. Given I am in geology, it peaked my interest, So in June, my Wife and I found the time to hunt the place down---it is in Hillsboro on a road that parallels Route 26 BUT the road, unlike most frontage roads, did not intersect the major roads nearby. So there is a road that gets you there.

In any event the museum itself is neat, in that it is in the original owner's house. Lots of fossils, very rare/beautiful minerals, petrified wood, agate "up the kazoo" if you will, and much more. I forget the charge to enter but it was worthwhile. It was a bit dusty inside but we noticed they were advertising for cleaning people.

Despite this being a hidden treasure, there were, to my surpise about 10 carloads of people with kids there. Local schools visit them also. So worth the time if you enjoy rocks, minerals, fossils, etc.

The Rice NW Museum of Rocks and Minerals is one of my family's favorite places to visit. I have taken family, friends, and Girl Scout troops there many times. The displays are beautiful and informative, with some very unique specimens. The midcentury house that houses the museum is also a real treat. Highly recommended!

This place hides right off the freeway but if you love rocks, then you need to stop. It's inexpensive but has a great collection of local and non-local rocks and minerals. Look for the gigantic thunderegg!

My husband and I were looking for something to do to celebrate my birthday so we looked on trip advisor for fun things to do in Oregon and we decide to go to the Rice NW Museum of Rocks and Minerals we thought we would go here then head on to Portland but to my amazement we walked into the Museum and I was in AWW I couldn't believe how interesting the rocks are. I am a rock hound but my husband is not so much but even he was in AWW also. Don't miss this, We didn't make it to Portland because this place is so amazing and Justin who works here is great he would come tell us about the rocks then he would give us our time to look around alone then Justin would show up again and tell us more. I had the best time and to my surprise my husband really enjoyed himself to. This a must see

The mineral and rock samples were amazing! Huge samples. The building is about 5,000 square feet and is packed with fascinating collections from all over the world. It's not static displaies either there are videos, rock pits, gift store and trails to discover large mineral pieces on the property. A great location for school field trips!

We are not big fans of rock museums but we had out of town guests who are. They had read about this place and really wanted to go. We were pleasantly surprised with how fun it was and the variety of cool things to look at. Our guests were overwhelmed and said it was the best exhibit they have seen ( and they have visited too many to count.) There are 2 buildings, a retro house and a education center/gift shop. The grounds are nice with trails and I would imagine a nice place to picnic.

Nice meteor collection with detailed explanations.

Rocks I've never seen before in many interesting color combinations.

Many large items.

I was pleasantly surprised by the size and quality of the collection, because the museum is not in a major city.

I spent 45 minutes at the museum and saw and read enough to satisfy me.

I have been here twice and really enjoy it. They have a great selection of rocks, minerals and stones. It's so fun to see all the displays and the glowing room especially

Love to bring kids here.

What a place! If you love rocks and minerals, you are in the right place. This place has so many varieties. This place has more collections than the one in DC in my opinion.
It's fun and educational. We've been going here since my kids were little and they are now in college and high school. We try to come every year and bring guests as well.

This was an great surprise. It is a little difficult to get to and may want to follow your GPS. But the home, museum and history of this place is really amazing.

There is no way to describe this place in a way that would make it sound as truly amazing as it is. The place is room after room of wonder and your imagination can not help but go into overdrive. I highly recommend this for all ages.

Some great history an an amazing private collection of rocks...a great kid friendly stop in Helvetia.

I love this place, it has an amazing variety of rocks that I have never seen before or since. They have the largest thunder egg in the world and it is amazing. Go during the summer festival which is Aug 6-7, this year I believe. The festival has vendors and neat things for sale and stuff for the kids to do. I really love it!

I was very surprised by the huge variety of objects. Rocks from all over the world, not just Hillsboro. Everything is labeled with name of rock, original location, properties within the rock. Some are lit by black lights so they glow in pretty colors. There are examples of gold and gemstones cut in a large array of shapes. Little kids may get bored pretty fast but older kids and adults will like this.

Went yhere with the grands - ages 11 and 7 and they loved it! All the different rock displays were amazing for all the generations. The Grands liked picking their free rock from the pile to take home. A nice place to explore just outside of Hillsboro..