DALLAS (KDAF) — In 2003, TCU decided to open a gallery dedicated to a meteorite collection donated by Oscar Monnig.

It’s an incredible display of meteorites in the world, and the exhibition educates people as to the types of meteorites and what their geological properties tell us about the planets in our solar system.

I had no idea what to expect, but when I found out I would be getting a VIP tour from Professor Rhiannon Mayne, I was more than thrilled. She is the Curator and a walking encyclopedia when it comes to the meteorite collection that’s on display.

Mayne put it best, “I get to look after this museum, play with the meteorites, but I’m also a Professor, so I get to teach here at TCU, and I think that’s just a perfect combination.”

Professor Mayne really brought out some of the showpieces out, and I had the pleasure of holding two different meteorites in the palm of my hand. One from the moon, and the other from Mars. She explained, “These are some of the rarer meteorites. Most of meteorites are actually from the asteroid belt, between Mars and Jupiter.”

She went on to explain that, “Texas is a great place to find meteorites in the United States, due to the climate and the fact that we have so much agriculture, and what the general public sees is only about 5 percent of the whole collection, which makes them one of the world’s largest University based collections.”

I’m a big science nerd, and to say I had a great time is an understatement. If you’re looking for something free and educational for your family to do, head on over to Ft. Worth to see this amazing collection in our own backyard.