Joplin Museum Complex: Cool Things for All Ages

Woolly mammoth fossils.

Arrowheads.

Glowing rocks.

Where in Joplin can you see these cool items?  At the Joplin Museum Complex in Schifferdecker Park.

The museum complex is located just west of the aquatic center. Outside of the entrance, visitors are greeted by a dinosaur sculpture which stands about six feet tall and is made from scrap metal and other items such as license plates. Kids will get a kick out of it.

The complex houses a variety of collections. The exhibit displays are informative and offer some unique items to view. In the Everett J. Ritchie Tri-State Mineral Museum, huge slabs of rocks and minerals are displayed in an area that resembles the inside of a mine shaft.

On the way up to the second floor, there’s a case containing fossil remains of a woolly mammoth and some Native American arrowheads – all discovered in the four-state area.

The exhibit continues upstairs, where it traces the lead and zinc mining history of the area. There are maps of the mining areas and I was curious to see if my house was built over a mine shaft. It wasn’t.

I was fascinated by the exhibit showing which minerals are found in everyday household products.

Meanwhile, my kids were fixated on the display of fluorescent minerals. Here’s what they look light with a standard light on them.

Here’s what happens after they are exposed to a long-wave light.

No wonder my kids kept pressing the long-wave light button; it’s so mesmerizing to see those seemingly ordinary rocks transform into glowing, otherworldly formations.

On the other side of the museum complex, the Dorothea B. Hoover Historical Museum houses a variety of collections that focus on the history and culture of the Joplin area. Highlights of this section include artifacts from the House of Lords, a famous saloon from Joplin’s mining days.

And jewelry that was recovered from Bonnie and Clyde’s Joplin hideout in 1933.

Other exhibits at the complex include the Joplin Sports Authority Sports Hall of Fame, the National Historical Cookie Cutter Museum, and the Merle Evans Circus Tent #27 Miniature Circus (my daughter spent about twenty minutes staring wide-eyed at this miniature circus that fills an entire room).

The Joplin Museum Complex is the perfect place for both visitors and residents to gain an understanding of Joplin’s rich history.

Oh, and to see cool glowing rocks, too.

The Joplin Museum Complex is located at 504 S. Schifferdecker Avenue. 

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This article was commissioned by the Joplin CVB, however the opinions expressed are purely my own. The purpose of Joplin MO Life is to highlight all the best that our area has to offer, and when an article is written about a restaurant, business, attraction, or event, it is because I have had an enjoyable experience and want to share it with others.

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Living Life to The Fullest!

I love seeking out new experiences and finding places off the beaten path. I started Joplin MO Life in August 2013 as a way to share my discoveries with others in the Joplin community so that they can learn about the resources that exist right in their own backyards.

I have worked in education and event planning, and have always loved to write. I hold a master's degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and a bachelor's degree in marketing from Tulane University.