GeoZeum set to open in San Juan Bautista
From its western edge where the Mission San Juan Bautista is
perched on a scarp of the San Andreas Fault to its southern reaches
where ancient volcanic peaks and spires of Pinnacles National
Monument draw tourists, San Benito County is a
”
major geology destination,
”
according to recently-retired professor, geologist and rock
hound Phil Stoffer.
GeoZeum set to open in San Juan Bautista
From its western edge where the Mission San Juan Bautista is perched on a scarp of the San Andreas Fault to its southern reaches where ancient volcanic peaks and spires of Pinnacles National Monument draw tourists, San Benito County is a “major geology destination,” according to recently-retired professor, geologist and rock hound Phil Stoffer.
Rather than keep his vast collection of rocks and fossils to himself, the former USGS field guide writer and website designer has decided to share a lifetime’s worth of knowledge and artifacts with the public at the soon-to-open GeoZeum in downtown San Juan Bautista.
“The whole Earth is my collection,” Stoffer said as he gave a tour of the 1,200-square-foot museum nestled behind Tops: A Rock Shop on Third Street in the Mission City. “I did a lot of teaching over the years and I’ve been to every state and rock locality in the United States. Every rock has its own story.”
It is through this vast collection of rocks that Stoffer hopes to educate visitors once the GeoZeum officially opens on Sept. 18. He has already launched a website – http://geozeum.com – to accompany what he calls a San Andreas Fault museum; though it is much more than that.
From earthquake fault maps on the wall to 3-D posters and fluorescent mineral displays, the GeoZeum is designed to provide a hands-on, interactive experience to guests, who will have the option to make a donation as their admission price.
Large samples of rocks such as granite and Benitoite – the state mineral, which is found only in San Benito County – are on display, along with fossilized wood, whale bone in sandstone and a piece of asteroid encased in mudstone from New Mexico. Visitors can also use tsunami and earthquake simulators and purchase T-shirts and earthquake preparedness kits.
Citing his “exceptional samples of common rocks,” Stoffer says the GeoZeum’s location was selected because “we are in earthquake central here.”
“There are more types of rocks in this county than almost anywhere you can go in the country,” he said.
Beyond that, the GeoZeum includes fossilized crabs that Stoffer found on New York City beaches and arrowheads that he collected as a child on a farm in Ohio.
Stoffer said he has thought about opening a geologic museum for the past 20 years, following in the footsteps of professors he has known in Wyoming and Utah who have similar displays open to the public.
As a former Brooklyn, N.Y. high school geology teacher and professor at Hartnell College, Stoffer has built up a large collection of fossils, rocks, minerals and instructional materials.
“I’m starting with a modest opening of this museum space, and I hope to expand it to outdoor education programs in San Juan Bautista,” he said. “It’s a perfect location from a geologist’s point of view.”
Stoffer said he hopes to lead morning geology walks from Vertigo Coffee to his museum, discussing the Earth’s history through geology. He also hopes to offer curricula to the approximately 40,000 school children and teachers who visit the nearby mission each year.
“Families can come through the museum; Boy Scouts can get their merit badges on weekends. We’re just offering an open door invitation place where people can come and learn,” he said.
Having recovered from lymphoma a number of years ago, Stoffer said “life is too short not to do what you want to do.” And what he wanted to do was share his love of geology and its effect on the world with the public.
The GeoZeum is expected to be open Thursday through Saturday, with Sundays being the day he leads local field trips, Stoffer said.
For more information on the GeoZeum, contact Phil Stoffer by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at 207-5905.
