The Rausch Mineral Gallery in Amherst, Massachusetts

The Morrill Science Center on the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus is a massive rock and mineral collection truly unique to the region. 

The one-room gallery is home to over 250 rock and mineral specimens donated by Dr. Marvin Rausch, a now-deceased UMass chemistry professor who taught from 1963 to 2001.

Known internationally for his work, Rausch began collecting his specimens when he was still in high school. The minerals within this gallery are bright and fluorescent, their natural beauty highlighted in the dim room. If visitors press "the button" they will see why Rausch became so fascinated in the first place.