Mineral and Lapidary Museum of Henderson County

The Mineral and Lapidary Museum of Henderson County is a non-profit , volunteer -run museum in Hendersonville, North Carolina founded in 1997 at 400 North Main Street in the middle of the city's Historic District. Located in Western North Carolina in the geologically rich Blue Ridge Mountains , the decade-old museum has been nicknamed The Geode-Cracking Museum . On a typical day, geodes are cracked in half by volunteer staff. The Ultimate Guide to Asheville & The Western North Carolina Mountains explains that "The purpose of the museum is to support the education of the children of Henderson and neighboring counties in the Earth Science areas of Mineralogy , Geology , Paleontology and the associated Lapidary Arts . The museum has ongoing exhibits of regional minerals and gemstones of interest to the general public and a workshop where gem-cutting and polishing demonstrations are held." The guidebook further elaborates that "This museum is run by the Henderson County Gem and Mineral Society [HCGMS], a valuable source of information for those people interested in rock hounding in the mountains." Prof. Ralph W. Bastedo, an HCGMS member and lecturer, notes that "Furthermore, the museum itself is a valuable learning tool in the Appalachian Mountains for adults seeking introductory and stimulating information about our planet earth generally."