The Gillespie Museum

The museum is open with regular hours - Tuesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through the end of May. We will be closed for summer break during June and July, and will reopen by appointment from August 1-20 with full reopening on August 21.

Subscribe to our newsletter to keep up to date on all Gillespie Museum and Volusia Sandhill happenings!

You are welcome to wander through the grounds, including the Native Florida Landscape and the Volusia Sandhill Ecosystem. (Guides to both outdoor spaces are available online at the webpage links above and in the Pollination Station box near the sidewalk between the museum building and the Rinker Environmental Learning Center-RELC.)

See our Educational Resources Page for a wonderful collection of downloadable materials for engaging at home, museum grounds, and outdoor learning.

The Gillespie Museum features one of the premier historic mineral collections in the southeast, and seasonally changing exhibits on an array of earth science and natural history topics. With native ecology interpretive and research areas and other multi-use eco-areas across its grounds, and a dedication to inspired environmental programming, the Gillespie has become a center for science education on campus, in the local community, and beyond.

Find out about museum hours, contact information, membership, school programs and more.

During the school year, don't miss our weekly #MineralMonday, #WingedWednesday and #FollowerFridayposts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (click the link buttons below). And...New this year: the Gillespie's on TikTok! Check out our "Meet the Staff" video! Also, browse our Throughline Virtual Gallery; this past student project will help you "get your art on" via various creative prompts.

You can also Sign Up for our Mailing List to receive email updates with news and information on museum events and programming, online resources and activities, and other engagement opportunities inside and outside of the museum walls.

Events

View all ongoing museum Events and News, or individual Science Café and Science Saturday schedules.

Dates at a Glance

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August 22 - Great Southeast Pollinator Census in the Volusia Sandhill Ecosystem, adjacent to the museum; 2 p.m.; Stetson students only (but others can join the count from your own backyard! See https://gsepc.org/ for more info.) - Cultural Credit available.
September 18 - Science Cafe - Rescuing the River of Grass with Eve Samples, Excecutive Director, Friends of the Everglades; 6 p.m. in the RELC, 5:30 for snacks/social; More info - Reservations encouraged! Cultural Credit is available for Stetson undergraduates.
September 20 - Science Saturday - Journey to Space! 10 a.m.-noon; Join us for demonstrations and hands-on astronomy activities to kick off the new school year! More info - Reservations encouraged!
September 24 - Out of the Attic - Exhibit Opening & Gallery Talk with curator Nicholas Pearson; 4 p.m. Lost treasures & fascinating oddities from the Gillespie Collection, on display in the museum.
October 16 - Science Cafe - Fantastic Fungi with Scott Ostuni, DNA Sequence Validator, Fungal Diversity Survey; 6 p.m. in the RELC, 5:30 for snacks/social; More info - Reservations encouraged! Cultural Credit is available for Stetson undergraduates.
October 18 - Science Saturday - Mostly Green Halloween - Our annual family-friendly fall fair! 10 a.m.-noon; Outdoor activities, crafts, & explorations. Costumes encouraged! More info - Reservations encouraged!
October 18-31 - Halloween at the Museum! During Mostly Green Halloween Science Saturday & regular daily hours 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Come venture into our Haunted Cave, Trick or Treat at the front desk, and see our special Spooky Stones mini exhibit - If you dare! For "kids" of ALL ages. Costumes encouraged!
November 1 - Native Plant Sale, 9:30 a.m.-noon; hosted by the Cuplet Fern Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society.
November 6 - Science Cafe - Climate Change and Green Infrastructure Adaptation with Dr. Jason Evans, Executive Director, Stetson's Institute for Water & Environmental Resilience (IWER); 6 p.m. in the RELC, 5:30 for snacks/social; More info - Reservations encouraged! Cultural Credit is available for Stetson undergraduates.
November 15 - Science Saturday - Founder's Day Celebration! 10 a.m. - noon; It's the Gillespie Museum’s 67th birthday! Join us for some fun rock and mineral geologizing! More info - Reservations encouraged!
November 25 - Thanksgiving Drop-in Event, all day, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Everyone is welcome to stop by the museum anytime during our regular hours today for a fun, festive, fall-themed take-home craft and scavenger hunt!
December 2-5 - Holiday Sale at the Museum Shop! During regular daily hours 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Stop in to buy a mineral ornament or some sparkly stocking stuffers! Store discounts for Gillespie Museum members - join today!

Continuing through May 2025 - Uncertain Sanctuary: Florida Springs Sculptures by Judith Greavu - Immerse yourself in this stunning and important temporary installation on display in the museum. Exhibit sculptures are for sale!--with half the sale price going to the Florida Springs Council to help with efforts to protect our springs! Cultural Credit is available for Stetson undergraduates.
February 8 - Science Saturday - We LOVE Native Species! with the Central Florida Zoo, 10 a.m.- noon; Join us for some awesome live animal action in the RELC! Co-sponsored with the Stetson Pre-vet Club. More info - Reservations required as space is limited; RSVP today!
February 11-14 - We LOVE Rocks & Minerals - Valentine's Week at the Gillespie! Visit the museum to make a Rockin' Card, & find something for your Valentine in our newly stocked gift shop. Read more...
February 20 - Science Cafe - Eelgrass Restoration on the St. Johns River with Dan Kolterman, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission; 6 p.m. in the RELC, 5:30 for snacks/social; More info - Reservations encouraged! Cultural Credit is available for Stetson undergraduates.
March 13 - Science Cafe & Sunset in the Sandhill - Celebration of the Volusia Sandhill Ecosystem! 5:30 - 7:30 pm; Food, fun, & live music! Brief presentation by Stetson Biology professor Dr. Cynthia Bennington at 6 p.m. More info - Reservations required, RSVP today! Cultural Credit available for Stetson undergraduates.
March 21 - Celebrate Spring! Drop-in Craft & Activity - Fun for all ages! Stop in anytime today 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. to make a springtime craft, and enjoy an outdoor activity. Read more...
March 22 - Science Saturday - STEAM Festival! 10 a.m.- noon; Join us in celebrating everything Science Technology Engineering Arts and Mathematics! More info - Reservations encouraged!
March 28 - Environmental Art Gallery Opening - The Living Palette - Student Environmental Art Contest submissions on display (through April 25) in the Nature Nook. 3 - 5 p.m.; reception at 3 p.m., artist presentations at 4 p.m. Sponsored by the Stetson Environmental Fellows. Cultural Credit available for Stetson undergraduates.
March 28 - April 25, 2025 - The Living Palette: Art for the Earth and Mind - Stetson student artwork focused on themes of the environment, sustainability, & environmental justice; on display in the RELC's Nature Nook (open during regular museum hours when there are not classes or programs using the building). Cultural Credit available for Stetson undergraduates.
April 15 - Museum CLOSED for Stetson Showcase
April 10 - Science Cafe - Indian River Lagoon Clam Restoration Project with Dr. Todd Osborne, University of Florida, Whitney Lab; 6 p.m. in the RELC, 5:30 for snacks/social. More info - Reservations encouraged! Cultural Credit available for Stetson undergraduates.
April 22 - Exhibit Opening & Gallery Talk - Minerals in Space: Building Blocks to the Stars - Come check out or newest exhibit and meet the student curator, Mary DeNote, History & Political Science Major, class of 2027. 4 p.m. with free coffee & donuts! Cultural Credit available for Stetson undergraduates.
April 22, 2025 through May 2026 - Minerals in Space: Building Blocks to the Stars - Stetson student-curated exhibit on mineral uses in space exploration; on display in the museum. Cultural Credit available for Stetson undergraduates.
April 24 - Mineral Music - CANCELLED - Debut of Stetson Digital Arts professor Chaz Underriner's experiential music piece inspired by the Gillespie Museum's mineral collection! Performance by Amorsima Trio - (the plan is to reschedule this performance for Fall of 2025, stay tuned!)
April 26 - Science Saturday - Earth Day at the Gillespie! 10 a.m.- noon; Our annual celebration of the planet & its wonders! More info - Reservations encouraged!

Want more details on museum happenings? Join our mailing list to stay informed!

Stay tuned for updates about Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 exhibits, events, and programs... Join our mailing list to keep informed!

Exhibits

View all current Museum Exhibits, as well as an archive of selected past installations.

(For a complete listing of the museum's online educational resources, including selected exhibit materials, see our Educational Resources Page, or download this comprehensive Overview of Gillespie Museum Online Resources.)

Open through May 2025 only, Uncertain Sanctuary: Florida Springs Sculptures by Judith Greavu - Come check out this stunning new exhibit of bronze and kiln-cast glass sculptures representing an important perspective on these uniquely-Florida imperiled aquatic gems, and learn about the state of our springs in an associated display featuring materials from the Florida Springs Council and the Florida Springs Institute. And all exhibit sculptures are for sale!--with half the proceeds going to the Florida Springs Council to help with efforts to protect our springs! Please support this beautiful art and this worthy cause.

New Exhibit! Minerals in Space: Building Blocks to the Stars is a student-curated exhibit about the importance of minerals in space exploration and the aerospace industry. Developed by Mary DeNote, Stetson History & Political Science major, class of 2027; and opened April 22, 2025. Cultural Credit available for Stetson undergraduates.

Now Open! The Nature Nook - This new permanent exhibit & gallery space will present The Living Palette: Art for the Earth and Mind, a student-submitted art exhibit curated by the Stetson Environmental Fellows on display from March 28 through April 25, along with ongoing touch table, artifacts, & nature activities. Come check it out in the Rinker Environmental Learning Center (RELC) adjacent to the museum! (Open during regular museum hours except when classes, field trips, and special events are in session.) See museum front desk for info.

Meteorites/Rocks from Space - Come explore space rocks at the Gillespie! Learn how rock fragments from outer space reveal clues about our planet and the solar system in this small display of iron meteorites and silica-based tektites from the Historic Gillespie Collection. Continuing in the museum.

Florida Formations - 500 million years of Florida geology - This permanent exhibit is a tale of the state's past environments and climates as told through its distinctive rock units and associated fossils.

Outdoors & Grounds

See what's happening Outdoors at the Gillespie Museum.

The Grounds of the Gillespie Museum and the adjacent Rinker Environmental Learning Center (RELC) provide natural space for outdoor education and place-based research, constituting an integral part of the continuing environmental programming and initiatives of the museum and of the larger Stetson community.

The acreage surrounding the Gillespie features the Volusia Sandhill Ecosystem restoration project, as well as our Native Florida Plant Landscape. It also provides greenhouse and garden space for Stetson's Hatter Harvest, a sweet home for Stetson Beekeeping, and seasonal replenishment for our Seed Library.

Join us for upcoming Volusia Sandhill events!

Summer Hours

Open through May, Tuesday through Friday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The museum will be CLOSED for summer break during June and July.
We will reopen by appointment from August 1-20; with full reopening for Fall 2025 on August 21.

The museum will also be CLOSED during the following 2025-26 academic holidays: Fall Break (October 9-10); Veterans Day (November 11); Stetson University Values Day (November 13); Thanksgiving Holiday (November 26-28); Winter Break (December 8-January 1); Spring Holidays (March 2-6); Good Friday (April 3); and Stetson Showcase (April 14).

Staff may be reached by email ([email protected]) or phone 386-822-7330. Stay tuned to our website and subscribe to our newsletter to keep up to date on all Gillespie Museum and Volusia Sandhill happenings!

Admissions & Membership

Walk-in Visitors

No admissions fee. Donations support educational programming.
The Gillespie is proud to be a Museums for All participant.

(We are pleased to offer discounted museum memberships to SNAP EBT cardholders.)

Educational Programs (Classes K-12, scouts, homeschool groups, etc.)

Students: $2.50
Teachers/Chaperones: No charge

Membership

Benefits include special members-only programs, gift shop discounts, subscriptions to our weekly e-newsletter, and participation in the ASTC Passport Program.
Plus, your membership directly supports our educational programs and exhibits! Apply for your Gillespie Museum membership today!

Identification & Donation of Specimens

Unfortunately, we are not able to assist with specimen identification or to receive acquisitions of collections or new specimens at this time. Thank you for your understanding.