We love museums SO much, and when we discovered this one practically in our backyard, we knew it was going onto the list.

This is part of our 100 Things in 2017 challenge. Here’s the full list. Click on the photos for a closer look!

The Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals in Hillsboro is a treasure trove of meteors, fossils, chemistry, geology, and gemstones. It’s perfectly set up for curious kiddos to wander around, touch the rocks, be amazed at the slices of petrified wood, and gawk at the fluorescence room.

Lucy had a great time, and made sure to pick out her rock from the rock pile out back. There was a ton of interesting information and great photos, and it was all really accessible (as opposed to some museums we’ve been to). Highly recommended if you’re anywhere near Portland.