In late October, I was in Houston for my "other job" and a few hours before we got back on the plane to Pittsburgh, we stopped at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Wow, was I glad we did!
First, there was a very interesting glass exhibit - many goblets, bowls, etc. I took two photos of this exhibit (wish I took more) but these are absolutely gorgeous:
Beautiful glass egg, with stunning gemstones spilling out.
An amazingly realistic hand made out of chalcedony.
Next, we walked through the fossil hall. Oh, how amazingly gorgeous some of these things were. I can't possibly show you all my photos, but I'll give you some highlights.
You may know that I love ammonites, and love making ammonite cabochons for bead weaving, tab setting, etc. They had the most amazing collection of ammonites I have ever seen. Here's some photos - click to enlarge as they are so detailed and beautiful!
They also had an amazing collection of petrified wood, I have never seen such beautiful petrified wood with gemstone inclusions like this!
Finally, we got to go through the gemstone hall. OH MY! Some of
these crystals were beyond words gorgeous. I did take photos of the
names of the gemstones, but there would be too many photos for you to go
through. Just look at all this eye candy!
I have always loved gemstones, and this exhibit just cements my love even more! I hope you enjoyed seeing my very quick trip through the Houston Museum of Natural Science - I do hope I get the opportunity to go back!
Susan Kennedy
What stunning pictures Sue. Thank you so much for sharing them.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the trip down memory lane. My daughter took me there for my birthday when she was in grad school in Houston. And I LIVED in the Hall of Minerals at Natural History in DC when I was growing up.
ReplyDeletewow, these are fantastic and so enlightening. i must have been wonderful to visit, read and see all the displays
ReplyDeleteThose were great and very inspiring. I was particularly interested in the ammonites with the miniature leaf design on the top of the shell. Very different than the ones more commonly seen.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Just a mile from Houston's Natural History Museum is the Museum of Fine Art, which houses what surely must be the companion piece to the first Nimrud Assyrian relief you posted above. I don't remember the exact explanation, but I think it says the guardian is picking sacred fruit from a tree and placing it in the basket in (his?) hand. I always have to visit it when I go to the museum.
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