THE MUSEUM OF SAND in PORTLAND, OREGON: MT. ST. HELENS. WASHINGTON. USA

Welcome to the Museum of Sand

The Museum of Sand was established to house and share a private collection of sand from around the world. Our mission is to share with people the wonders of sand, and promote curiosity about the origins and characteristics of these geologic and biologic materials. Our growing collection provides a rare and close-up glimpse into the fascinating micro-world of sand grains.

Most posts to the Museum of Sand blog will be photos of a sand sample, with information about it and a map showing the collection location. A list of sand samples will be updated frequently. To see a listed sample, enter its name in the search box.

We are slowly posting the numerous samples in the Museum collection to this site; please check back occasionally to find new posted samples.

The Head Curator of the Museum, Paul Fishman, is an ecologist; he hopes to learn more about the geologic origins of the samples in the museum, and will add this information as possible.

In March, 2012, Paul made a startling discovery on the internet: he is not alone! Here is a link to the International Sand Collectors Society.

Finally, a thank you to the few agents of the Museum of Sand who have gathered samples for our collection.

Attribution and copyright notice: all images of sand samples are the property of the Museum of Sand and may not be used without Museum permission. Map and satellite images are screen shots from Google Maps, and are properly attributed.

Friday, April 12, 2013

MT. ST. HELENS. WASHINGTON. USA

This sample is not sand, it is volcanic ash; however, a curatorial decision was made to include it in the Museum of Sand on-line collection. Mt. St. Helens is in the Cascade mountain chain that extends north-south through central Oregon and Washington states. Mt. St. Helens blew it's top in 1980, resulting in cataclysmic changes to the surrounding landscape, and the loss of some human lives. Large flows of ash entered streams and rivers on the west side of the mountain and altered the sediment regime of these streams and the Columbia River to which they are tributaries.

This sample was collected in 1980 soon after the eruption by the husband of one of our collectors. She generously donated this sample to the Museum of Sand.