CLUB ACTIVITIES

• Current Club Membership.
•  Use signup button below to request a display case & sign up to exhibit (for fluorescent exhibits, jump to UV section)
• *A collection of specimens or topic of Interest
• Specimens must be labeled & identified. 
• Imagination & creativity. 
• A display case exhibit can be an individual project, or group collaboration between club members.
• Exhibiting is open to both novices & professionals.

*Make sure your theme is relevant to the club!

(L)Length: 44" | (H)Height: 21" | (D)Deep: 20"

The Front Window Display is 44Lx21H. 

Use this for determining the best view for your arrangement.

Floor of the case is 44Lx20D.

Use this measurement to fit your arrangement in the case, plus fit any fabric, diorama or other embellishments on the base of your display.  

Sides: 21Hx20D.

Use this measurement to determine the size of anything you wish to paste on the sides as part of your backdrop. Make sure words are large enough if it has writing!

Back: 44Lx21H.

Use this measurement for tacking on any embellishments for your backdrop, such as a poster, descriptions, title, etc. Again, if there’s writing make sure the words are large enough to read!

Your exhibit can be just a couple small things or filled with a large collection. As long as it’s relevant to the Club, it’s a fun project where you can be crafty and creative with your collection. 

List of ideas: 

• Fossils, minerals, crystals, gemstones.
• Lapidary specimens and gemstone jewelry.
• Stone art, artifacts, tools.
• Purchased or self-collected specimens.
• Books, maps and rockhounding tools

Creativity Guidelines:

• You can go either Minimalist or be very elaborate.
• Background can be plain or change it up with variety of material, mediums, raisers, colors, props, arrangements, etc that will accentuate and add dimension to your display. 
• Choose background colors/textures & props that help specimens stand out & be the star of the show, and not distract from your specimens.
• Make sure any writing or typography is clear and legible! 

NOTE: TO ASSEMBLE YOUR EXHIBIT INSIDE THE DISPLAY CASE:  

1. REMOVE THE TOP LIGHT FIXTURE  
2. LIFT UP AND REMOVE THE TOP COVER
3. REMOVE THE WINDOW BY SLIDING IT UP AND CAREFULLY SETTING IT ASIDE.

Labeling is the only real crucial component in the exhibit. 

The reason: a label serves to identify the specimen via Name & Locality. 

*Scroll further down to learn more about how to do labeling Or jump to labels guidelines here

The basic format requires just 2 pieces of info:

1. NAME: the accurate name for your specimen
2. LOCALITY: The accurate location of which it was found.

Fossils require a couple extra pieces of info:

1. NAME: An accurate name for your specimen
2. LOCALITY: The accurate location of which it was found.
3. TIME PERIOD (ex. Cretaceous, Jurassic)
4. FORMATION it came from *if possible

Sharing its location gives some useful information for a collector or even for a novice viewing it. They’ll like to learn that you found this in the Adirondacks, or in Pennsylvania, or a mine in Utah, for example.

The basic format required for labels:

Name & Locality

An expanded format looks like this:

TITLE: Mineral (or Fossil) Specimen

NAME:

LOCALITY:

TIME PERIOD (fossil only)

FORMATION (fossil only)

COLLECTED BY: 

DATE: 

• Make sure hand-lettering is in print, large enough to read, clean & legible. 
• Avoid writing cursive or being too fancy
• Make sure it catches the eye & you can easily read it (2 ft distance view)

• You can make a label sheet of all your specimens using publishing software and print it out (If your handwriting can’t be redeemable).
• Printed labels will always be crisp & consistent. 
• Font: Use VERDANA.
  (🚫no fancy, cursive, condensed, or serifs fonts) 
• Make sure you can easily read your labels. 

Labels under UV lighting require a different approach with materials used. Typically labels are made with white or colored paper but these reflect back too much light which wrecks the display. 

According to uvminerals.org:

• Black card stock is recommended. 
• Use negative lettering that subtly fluoresces. 
• Alternatively: attach labels outside the case
• Experiment with your materials under UV lighting to know what works and how it reacts next to your specimens. 

Always keep the label that comes with your purchased specimen, so you can carry that label either as your display label, or choose to make your own labels with the information from it.