Hi all,
Looking for help building an exhibit of quartz crystals inside of a planter
box. Specifically, I'm trying to figure out what to fill the planter with
that will support the large crystals and crystal clusters (largest is
slightly less than 2' x 2' and several hundred pounds) at the angle we wish
to display them, and keep little fingers from getting pinched underneath
them. We are a science/children's museum so any substance inside the
planter box will likely be scooped out and collected or thrown on the floor
at times. Sand would be my ideal material, but I think it would lead to
digging and sand on the museum floor. What material would you use? Have you
done something like this before?
The planter box is a built-in part of the museum, and currently is filled
with red cinder and green calcite pieces. When the quartz pieces are added
to the box, visitors will be invited to touch gently- the exhibit will not
be enclosed. There will be small LED lights installed at the base of the
crystals to light them up. I've been internally calling this new exhibit
the "quartz forest" or the "quartz garden".
--
Angela Piller (she/they)
Collections Manager
Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals
26385 NW Groveland Drive, Hillsboro, OR 97124
www.ricenorthwestmuseum.org
503-647-2418 | angela@ricenorthwestmuseum.org
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