{"title":"Mini Museum - Own a Piece of History","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMini Museum\u003c\/strong\u003e makes the extraordinary collectible with authentic specimens from across billions of years of science, history, and human achievement. From dinosaur fossils and meteorites to pieces of spacecraft and remarkable cultural artifacts, each piece offers a tangible connection to a real moment, place, or story from our universe.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"petrified-lightning-saharan-fulgurite-riker-box-specimen","title":"Petrified Lightning - Saharan Fulgurite Riker Box Specimen","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ff2a00;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/petrified-lightning-front_75f40f1c-9f19-4c11-a394-b5060ac49426_1024x1024.png?v=1638478350\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Front of the Specimen Card.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen lightning strikes dry sand, the intense heat melts and fuses the silica creating tubes of rough glass called fulgurites. The process happens quickly, often trapping molecules from the surrounding atmosphere inside the walls of the impact tube. These natural time capsules allow scientists to study the composition of ancient climates.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis specimen is a fulgurite collected in the Sahara Desert. Originally featured in the Second Edition of the Mini Museum, we're happy to offer it as a stand-alone specimen for your collection.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Small Riker Box Specimen","offer_id":53029252989209,"sku":"80-112-0001-201-36","price":19.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/petrified-lightning-MAIN-004.jpg?v=1787177839"},{"product_id":"space-shuttle-columbia-flown-nose-landing-gear-tire","title":"Space Shuttle Columbia - Flown Nose Landing Gear Tire","description":"\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis specimen comes from a mission-flown, Space Shuttle nose landing gear tire which was removed from service after the Space Shuttle Columbia's 13th mission, STS-52. The specimen is encased in an acrylic specimen jar and housed in a 4\" x 3\" x 1\" glass-topped riker box. A small information card is also included.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe material is layered (in this case 20-ply) and highly irregular. Our target size is approximately 1x1 cm, but there will be variation in width, length, thickness, and texture. Some specimens may exhibit small metallic bands from the interior of the tire while others may be completely smooth. This makes each specimen absolutely unique.\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029252956441,"sku":"80-112-4004-201-36","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/space-shuttle-tire-outside-MAIN-002.jpg?v=1787177839"},{"product_id":"hindenburg-airship-skin","title":"Hindenburg Airship Skin","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cem\u003eOh, the humanity, all the passengers. screaming around here [...] \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e Listen, folks; I... I'm gonna have to stop for a minute because I've lost my voice. This is the worst thing I've ever witnessed.\u003c\/em\u003e\" - Herbert Morrison, WLS radio broadcaster at the scene of the disaster.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003eOn May 6, 1937, the Hindenburg burst into flames in what should have been a routine landing. The airship was kept aloft by 16 gas cell chambers, which were infamously filled with flammable hydrogen. A spark was all it took for the explosion to begin, which ripped through the Hindenburg in a matter of seconds.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis specimen is a swatch of canvas fabric from the airship skin of the Hindenburg. The specimen was acquired from one of the largest private collections of Hindenburg artifacts in the world. It was originally retrieved at the scene in 1937 by journalist Harry Kroh, a local reporter dispatched to cover what was expected to be a routine landing but turned into one of the most well-covered disasters in history.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSwatches vary in size and shape, but each measures \u003cem\u003eapproximately\u003c\/em\u003e one square centimeter in area. Swatches may exhibit uneven edges or have areas where the cloth beneath the aluminum doping is visible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe specimen is enclosed in a handsome, glass-topped riker box case measuring 4 1\/2\" x 3 1\/2\". A small information card is also included.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlease Note: The swatch is enclosed in a small, specimen jar within the case. If you choose to remove the swatch from the jar, please be careful while handling. While the aluminum coating is still bright the fabric beneath is quite fragile.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029253021977,"sku":"80-113-4513-201-36","price":99.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/hindenburg-airship-skin-MAIN-001.jpg?v=1787177840"},{"product_id":"sr-71-blackbird-fragment","title":"SR-71 Blackbird Fragment","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis specimen is a metallic fragment from SR-71 61-7956, also known as NASA 831. With 1,454 successful flights and 3,967.5 flight hours, this craft holds the record for the most flight time regularly soaring above 80,000 ft at speeds greater than Mach 3.2. It is also believed to be the single most photographed Blackbird aircraft.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan aria-label=\"\" class=\"c-mrkdwn__br\" data-stringify-type=\"paragraph-break\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTwo sizes of SR-71 material are available: a smaller 3-6mm variant and a larger triangular cut piece shaped like the outline of the aircraft.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan aria-label=\"\" class=\"c-mrkdwn__br\" data-stringify-type=\"paragraph-break\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMaterial for this specimen is very limited, so we are entering our final run of SR-71 61-7956! Don't miss out!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Small (3-6mm)","offer_id":53029253087513,"sku":"80-112-4508-201-36","price":69.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Large (1cm)","offer_id":53029253120281,"sku":"80-112-0461-201-40","price":129.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/sr-71-desk-MAIN-001.jpg?v=1787177840"},{"product_id":"space-shuttle-columbia-flown-hrsi-tile-fragment","title":"Space Shuttle Columbia - Flown HRSI Tile Fragment","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/shuttle-tile-front-sts-1-columbia_704ccdc4-fb91-4764-86fe-ccdfadee61d9_1024x1024.png?v=1646041801\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis specimen is a fragment of the black, reaction cured glass coating of the HRSI Space Shuttle Tile which appears in the Fourth Edition of the Mini Museum.\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNASA disposition paperwork accompanying the tile indicates it was removed after the Space Shuttle Columbia’s 7th mission, STS-61-C, which flew on January 12, 1986.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs pictured, the item is roughly the size of a standard Mini Museum specimen (4-5mm). The glass coating is very thin, so for protection, this item will be enclosed in an acrylic specimen jar. The jar is housed in a glass-topped riker display box measuring 4x3x1 (inches). A small information card will accompany the specimen, which also serves as the certificate of authenticity.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029253153049,"sku":"80-112-4003-201-36","price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/space-shuttle-columbia-tile-MAIN-002.jpg?v=1787177840"},{"product_id":"oldest-earth-jack-hills-zircon-classic-riker-box-specimen","title":"Oldest Earth - Jack Hills Zircon - Classic Riker Box Specimen","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ff2a00;\" mce-data-marked=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eThis specimen is a small piece of the Jack Hills formation north of Perth in Western Australia (\u003cem\u003epictured above\u003c\/em\u003e).  The rough, sedimentary layers of the Jack Hills formation are 3.3 billion years old, but they also contain much older zircon crystals across a range of time from 3.6 to nearly 4.4 billion years old.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThe specimen measures 1x1 cm and is enclosed inside an acrylic specimen jar. The jar is enclosed inside a classic, glass-topped riker display case. A small information card is also enclosed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlease Note: \u003c\/strong\u003eThese specimens were collected in accordance with Australia's cultural heritage and mining laws. That said, this site is now \u003cstrong\u003epermanently closed \u003c\/strong\u003eto new mining and no further exports are expected. As such, it is likely these specimens are the \u003cem\u003eonly\u003c\/em\u003e pieces we will \u003cem\u003eever\u003c\/em\u003e see outside of Australia or available to the general public.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029253054745,"sku":"80-112-0008-201-36","price":19.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/jack-hills-hero.jpg?v=1787177839"},{"product_id":"apollo-11-command-module-foil","title":"Apollo 11 Command Module Foil","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis specimen is an actual, mission-flown fragment of kapton foil from the Apollo 11 Command Module \u003cem\u003eColumbia\u003c\/em\u003e. This material helped protect Apollo astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins on their journey from Earth to the Moon and back. Salvaged after splashdown, this is a unique collectible from one of the greatest achievements in human history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis specimen was recovered at the Johnson Space Center when the Columbia was decommissioned. It comes from the personal collection of retired NASA Production Control Engineer William R. Whipkey, who oversaw the decommissioning process.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Kapton foil is enclosed in an acrylic cube with a magnified lid and includes a glass-topped display case, information card, and certificate of authenticity. The information card showcases images from the Apollo 11 mission, details about the journey, and a die-cut square that matches the size of the acrylic cube. Kapton foil is an aluminized polyimide film used for radiation reflection, and the specimen measures approximately 1mm x 1mm. The outermost layers of Columbia were installed with the aluminized side facing outwards to provide optimal reflection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis display is surprisingly affordable compared to similar items on the market, making it an excellent choice for collectors and space enthusiasts who want to own or share a piece of history at a great price.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs noted, the specimen measures approximately 1mm x 1mm and is enclosed in an acrylic cube with a magnified lid for easy viewing. The acrylic cube is housed inside a padded, glass-topped riker box display case measuring 5 1\/2\" x 6 1\/2\".\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe display includes an information card with a centerline die-cut square matching the dimensions of the acrylic cube. The card has four unique faces, including images from Apollo 11, details about the mission, and a certificate of authenticity. The die-cut design allows you to showcase the specimen inside the display case with any one of four different designs.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Small (1mm x 1mm)","offer_id":53029253284121,"sku":"80-112-4002-201-33","price":69.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Medium (2mm x 2mm)","offer_id":53029253316889,"sku":"80-112-0405-201-40","price":276.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/1mm-apollo-11-whipkey-01-front_dde1c6a1-35f1-4792-9829-0a73f9174e12.jpg?v=1787177839"},{"product_id":"breakup-of-pangea-display-card","title":"Breakup of Pangea - Display Card","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis specimen is a polished diabase fragment from the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province deposits of Eastern North America. Similar to the specimen in the Acrylic version of the Mini Museum, but much larger, the item is \u003c\/span\u003eaffixed to an informational card that includes the Mini Museum Seal of Authenticity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe source rock was donated by the Luck Stone quarry adjacent to the Manassas U.S. Civil War battlefield in Northern Virginia. The quarry is a magnificent location where it is possible to clearly see one of the rift valleys that tore through the ancient supercontinent and might once have become the Atlantic Ocean.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eℹ️ For more details about Pangea, please check out our long-form article \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/shop.minimuseum.com\/blogs\/specimens\/pangaea-the-prehistoric-supercontinent\"\u003e\"Pangaea: The Prehistoric Supercontinent\"\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029253185817,"sku":"80-112-0519-201-40","price":10.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/pangea-card-MAIN-004.jpg?v=1787177840"},{"product_id":"beatles-brick-fragment-the-cavern-club","title":"Beatles Brick Fragment - The Cavern Club","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThis is an authentic brick fragment salvaged from the original Cavern Club in Liverpool, England. From 1961 to 1963, the Fab Four played 292 shows in the Cavern Club. This is a great collectible piece for any Beatles fan!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\"The Cavern... Do I have memories of the Cavern?  Do I? Oh yeah.\" ~ Paul McCartney\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eBefore The Beatles played for millions of viewers on The Ed Sullivan Show, the Lads from Liverpool put in thousands of hours in clubs and lounges across the UK, Germany, Sweden, and France, yet few venues can be so closely associated with the earliest days of the Beatles as the original Cavern Club in Liverpool, England.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Beatles first played the Cavern Club in 1961, where they were soon noticed by talent spotter and future manager Brian Epstein. The venue was inspired by Parisian jazz clubs and boasted an iconic brick-laden cellar that served as the stage. As noted above, this specimen is a fragment of one of those bricks that first experienced the sound of the Beatles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen the original club was demolished in 1973, a selection of bricks was taken and placed at auction. Mini Museum's material comes from one of these 1973 bricks, meaning the sound of the first 1961 Beatles performance passed through these specimens.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach specimen is hand-cut by our technicians and is displayed in a cushioned acrylic jar. The jar is enclosed inside a classic, glass-topped riker display case that measures 4\"x3\"x1\". A small information card is also enclosed, which also serves as the certificate of authenticity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlease Note: Color will vary widely on this specimen between red, gray, and swirls of both colors\u003c\/strong\u003e. The unique texture and coloring are the result of uneven firing and rough materials used at the time. This makes each specimen completely unique.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029253251353,"sku":"80-112-0009-201-36","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/brickhand.png?v=1787177840"},{"product_id":"tyrannosaurus-rex-bone","title":"Tyrannosaurus Rex Bone","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ff2a00;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBones of a King!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/trex-bone-front_600x600.png?v=1575921219\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMeasuring 40ft (12m) in length and weighing upwards of 14 tons, Tyrannosaurus rex was one of the largest and most powerful terrestrial predators in history. The most advanced in an 80 million year chain of tyrannosaurid evolution, T. rex had heavy, deep skulls reinforced with sutures, lightened by hollow chambers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis specimen is a fragment of Tyrannosaurus rex bone, recovered on private land in South Dakota from the Hell Creek Formation. Sizes and shapes vary widely on this specimen but they are all about 0.50\" to 0.75\" (1.25cm-2cm) in length. The specimen is housed within a glass-topped riker display case. The case measures 4\"x3\"x1\". A small information card is also included.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMore About Tyrannosaurus rex\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/30-TYRANNOSAURUS-REX_1024x1024.jpg?v=1575921656\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: How do you like your T. rex? With scales or fluffy like a baby chick? The science is still unsettled about adults as depicted here but juveniles definitely had feathers.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\"We need to start thinking of dinosaurs as not just brutes and not just monsters, and not just things with sharp teeth and sharp claws, but as really active, intelligent, energetic animals that oftentimes had keen senses. An animal like T. rex was a predator that used brain and brawn: its big brain, its great sense of smell and its really keen sense of hearing were probably as important to it, if not more so, than its sharp claws and its sharp teeth and its big jaw muscles.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e~ Steve Brusatte, Paleontologist, University of Edinburgh, author of \"The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World\" (2018)\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVarious mechanical studies of T. rex power place the \"Tyrant Lizard King\" firmly at the top of the charts. Paired with this incredible power, T. rex also had some of the largest teeth of any carnivorous dinosaur, with the largest measuring 1ft (30 cm).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDespite popular depictions of poor depth perception, studies show that when compared to other giant theropods, tyrannosaurids had a wide postorbital skull which resulted in forward-facing eyes and acute binocular vision. The spine of a Tyrannosaurus Rex was subject to tremendous force. The size and strength of the vertebrae were essential to providing support for this enormous predator, but the entire apparatus also had to allow for rapid changes in movement and critical striking speed.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029253382425,"sku":"80-112-0015-201-36","price":39.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/t-rex-bone-in-hand-MAIN-004.jpg?v=1787177839"},{"product_id":"concorde-jet-rotor","title":"Concorde Jet Rotor","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ff0000;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cimg src=\"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/concorde-front_large.png?v=1538247875\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis specimen is a fragment of a high-pressure compressor vane taken from the jet engine of the Concorde. The original titanium vane was divided into long, thin slices using a high energy cutter, after which each slice was hand-polished and cut into the \"delta-wing\" shape you see here. This is the same process we used to produce the specimen in the Mini Museum itself, but this larger specimen measures approximately 1 cm in length.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlease note that this specimen is very sharp.\u003c\/strong\u003e We've enclosed it in an acrylic specimen jar for safety. The jar is housed in a glass-topped riker display box measuring 4x3x1 (inches). A small information card will accompany the specimen.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout the Concorde\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"lead\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"I've always thought of the Concorde as a magical object, a symbol, a miracle.\" ~ Andrée Putman (1925-2013), legendary French designer responsible for the 1994 revamp of the Air France Concorde interior\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn January 1, 1976, the Concorde became the first supersonic commercial aircraft in history. With a Space Age design that signaled the arrival of the future, the joint project between British and French engineers fulfilled a decades-old dream of faster-than-sound passenger travel. For nearly thirty years, these magnificent aircraft cruised at altitudes twice as high as their subsonic counterparts, twice the speed of sound, and with ticket prices twice the price of their most expensive luxury rivals. While the program operated above cost, the profits were not enough to save the Concorde as it reached the end of its technical lifespan. The last Concorde flight occurred on October 24, 2003.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis specimen is a fragment from a flown, high-pressure compressor vane, an integral part of the four turbojet engines that allowed the Concorde to cruise above Mach 2. Produced by Britain's Rolls Royce and Snecma Moteurs of France, the Olympus 593 Mk 610 were the most powerful transport certified engines in the world at the time of their introduction.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029253349657,"sku":"80-113-4516-201-36","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/add-on-concorde-1000_e545ed2d-1f11-4bfc-a257-b83ed064de2c.jpg?v=1787177839"},{"product_id":"classic-riker-mount-display-case-black-with-glass-top","title":"Classic Riker Mount Display Case - Black with Glass Top","description":"\u003cp\u003eRiker Mount cases are the classic way to display your personal treasures. We use these very same cases for packaging numerous specimens in the Mini Museum collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHandmade\u003c\/strong\u003e in the USA, each case features an interlocking top and bottom shell made of pasteboard. The shells are covered with a black adhesive surface that also sports a faux leather pattern.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/pins-padding_1024x1024.jpg?v=1591133807\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Close-up image of the pin inserted and white support material.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe top shell has a \u003cem\u003ereal\u003c\/em\u003e glass insert (0.08 in\/2.2mm thick) which adds a bit of heft and also provides protection for your display items. The cases are held closed with long pins that are hidden inside by the fluffy white support material.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter shipping thousands worldwide we can attest to their durable construction!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe currently sell three (3) different sizes (H x W x D):\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSmall\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUsed with most specimens in the collection\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMeasures 4 1\/4\" x 3 1\/4\" x 3\/4\" (10.8cm x 8.25cm x 1.9cm)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLarge\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUsed with our Apollo specimens and Large fossils\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMeasures 6\" x 5\" x 1\" (15.2cm x 12.7cm x 2.5cm)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eXL\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUsed with our Touch Mini Museums\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMeasures 14 1\/2\" x 7 3\/4\" x 3\/4\" (36.8cm x 19.7cm x 1.9cm)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlease Note:\u003c\/strong\u003e As all cases are handmade there are slight variations in the size (perhaps by just a millimeter or two).\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShipping Notice: \u003c\/strong\u003eBecause of their dimensions, the \"XL\" size cases may be restricted in their shipping options if you order more than one at a time. The shipping methods that appear at checkout may not properly reflect the true options due to the size. When possible, we will ship with the shipping method requested at checkout, but if it is not available within the price paid for shipping, another method may be used (usually FedEx Ground or USPS Priority Mail). \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Small - 4 1\/4\" x 3 1\/4\" x 3\/4\"","offer_id":53029253447961,"sku":"80-112-0035-201-36","price":10.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Large - 6\" x 5\" x 1\"","offer_id":53029253480729,"sku":"80-112-0036-201-37","price":14.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"XL - 14 1\/2\" x 7 3\/4\" x 3\/4\"","offer_id":53029253513497,"sku":"80-112-0037-201-38","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/riker-group-main-2000.jpg?v=1787177839"},{"product_id":"asteroid-belt-solar-system-bracelet","title":"Asteroid Belt Solar System Bracelet","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYes, this bracelet includes real fragments from the Asteroid Belt! Details below!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e \u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/asteroid-belt-hero-01_1024x1024.jpg?v=1570056767\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cem\u003e\"They resemble small stars so much as hardly to be distinguished from them. From this, their asteroidal appearance, if I take my name, and call them Asteroids.\"\u003c\/em\u003e ~ William Herschel after making observations of Ceres and Pallas in 1802\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eBetween the orbits of Mars and Jupiter lies a ring of rocky objects known as the Asteroid Belt. The bead at the center of this bracelet contains a mixture of different classes of meteorites (howardite, eucrite, diogenite) from a large impact basin in the southern hemisphere of Vesta, the second-largest object in the Asteroid Belt.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/asteroid-belt-montage-01_1024x1024.jpg?v=1570060209\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: The Asteroid Belt Bracelet with Howardite NWA 10262\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eIn addition to this custom-made, resin bead, we've included a selection of semi-precious natural stones to represent other classic bodies in the solar system: \u003cstrong\u003eThe Sun\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003eCitrine\u003c\/em\u003e), \u003cstrong\u003eMercury\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003eBlack Labradorite\u003c\/em\u003e), \u003cstrong\u003eVenus\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003eRiverstone\u003c\/em\u003e), \u003cstrong\u003eEarth\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003eLapis Lazuli\u003c\/em\u003e), \u003cstrong\u003ethe Moon\u003c\/strong\u003e (Silver Crazy Lace Agate), \u003cstrong\u003eMars\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003eRed Malachite\u003c\/em\u003e), \u003cstrong\u003eJupiter\u003c\/strong\u003e (Botswana Agate), \u003cstrong\u003eSaturn\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003eHoney Tiger Eye\u003c\/em\u003e), \u003cstrong\u003eUranus\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003eAmazonite\u003c\/em\u003e), \u003cstrong\u003eNeptune\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003eAngelite\u003c\/em\u003e), \u003cstrong\u003ePluto\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003ePicture Jasper\u003c\/em\u003e), and \u003cstrong\u003ethe Universe\u003c\/strong\u003e beyond (\u003cem\u003eObsidian\u003c\/em\u003e).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/asteroid-belt-card-16x9-pop_2048x2048.jpg?v=1570060802\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThe semi-precious stones and asteroid belt beads are offset with small, sterling silver beads. \u003cstrong\u003eThe full bracelet measures 7\" in length\u003c\/strong\u003e though it will stretch a bit further.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/asteroid-belt-in-hand-02_1024x1024.jpg?v=1570059847\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThe bracelet comes in a gray gift box with a small information card that includes the names of all the semi-precious stones.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/asteroid-belt-montage-02_1024x1024.jpg?v=1570060362\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eAs noted above, the bead containing the Asteroid Belt fragments is made right here at Mini Museum with a mixture of several meteorites: \u003cstrong\u003eEucrites\u003c\/strong\u003e \"Millbillillie\", NWA 10166, and NWA 6694; \u003cstrong\u003eDiogenites\u003c\/strong\u003e \"Tatahouine\", NWA 7831, and NWA 5784; and \u003cstrong\u003eHowardites\u003c\/strong\u003e \"Johnstown\", NWA 1929, and the newly classified NWA 10262.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/asteroid-belt-source-montage_1024x1024.jpg?v=1570056369\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Meteorites used in the Asteroid Belt Bracelet and a geological map of Vesta \u003c\/em\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThe process for making these beads involves numerous stages of reduction, turning nickel-iron and stone into very small fragments. With this material, we create individual disks, or \"mini asteroid belts,\" which we then seal in resin and polish right here in our shop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/asteroid-belt-crafting-montage_1024x1024.jpg?v=1570060594\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Various stages of production for the unique Asteroid Belt beads.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThe result is a unique piece of jewelry for each and every person with fragments of asteroids that date to the earliest age of the solar system!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/asteroid-belt-montage-03_1024x1024.jpg?v=1570059898\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMore About the Asteroid Belt\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTerrestrial or rocky planets, such as Earth, form through a process of accretion in which small bodies collide and coalesce into increasingly larger forms. At 1km in diameter, the bodies possess enough mass that they begin to attract one another, eventually forming planets.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEarly theories about the Asteroid Belt suggested there was once a planet that was destroyed by a massive collision, but more recent calculations indicate that the gravitational influence of Jupiter made this impossible from the very start.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAstronomers have determined that much of the mass needed to form a planet in the Asteroid Belt was ejected by early interactions with Jupiter. The remaining large bodies then settled into stable orbits, isolated from each other by mutual gravitational perturbations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1866, Daniel Kirkwood noticed gaps in the Asteroid Belt at locations corresponding to specific fractions of Jupiter's orbit around the Sun. Kirkwood correctly postulated that gravitational perturbations from Jupiter nudge asteroids into unstable orbits, ejecting them from the Belt entirely. Similar forces can be seen at work in the gaps and varied densities of the rings of Saturn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029253579033,"sku":"50-807-1506-206-81","price":69.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/asteroid-belt-main-2000.jpg?v=1787177840"},{"product_id":"stegodon-bone-necklace","title":"Stegodon Bone Necklace","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/stego-illustration-post_1024x1024.jpg?v=1643846622\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eSimilar to modern-day elephants but with much longer tusks, Stegodons ranged in size from massive creatures rivaling mammoths to smaller, island-dwelling species. These extinct P\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eroboscideans\u003c\/span\u003e lived alongside our ancient Hominin ancestors during Pleistocene Epoch, but their roots extend back far further into the late Miocene Epoch some 11,400,000 years ago.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThis necklace features a single polished bead of fossilized Stegodon bone from the Solo River in Central Java Province of Indonesia. Similar finds in this region date to 1.9-1.5 million years ago when the island was home to the dwarf species \u003cem\u003eStegodon trigonocephalus florensis\u003c\/em\u003e as well as the early, tool-making hominin \u003cem\u003eHomo erectus\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eEach finished bead is \u003cstrong\u003ehand-polished and sealed here at Mini Museum\u003c\/strong\u003e. Color, size, and pattern vary assuring each hand-carved bead is absolutely unique and beautiful.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/stegodon-bead-close-up-1_grande.jpg?v=1559869783\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWear it loose or cinch it up:\u003c\/strong\u003e The black leather cord is very sturdy (1.8mm) and finished with a sliding slip knot that allows the wearer to easily adjust the length between 7\" to 24\" (18-60cm).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/stegodon-in-hand-3_grande.jpg?v=1559869588\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThe complete necklace comes in a decorative box and includes a small information card about the specimen. The card serves as the certificate of authenticity and can be found underneath the padded lining of the display box.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029253546265,"sku":"50-807-1502-206-81","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/stegodon-bead-1-final-1000.jpg?v=1787177840"},{"product_id":"apollo-13-command-module-foil","title":"Apollo 13 Command Module Foil","description":"\u003ch2\u003eAbout the Apollo 13 Command Module Foil Specimen\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis specimen is a fragment of mission-flown kapton foil which provided thermal protection for the astronauts aboard the Apollo 13 Command Module.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/apollo-13-cube-in-hand-01_grande.jpg?v=1566566484\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe specimen \u003cstrong\u003emeasures approximately 1mm x 1mm\u003c\/strong\u003e and is enclosed in an acrylic cube with a magnified lid for easy viewing. The acrylic cube is housed inside a padded, glass-topped riker box display case measuring 5 1\/2\" x 6 1\/2\".\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/apollo-13-hero-1000-01_grande.jpg?v=1566568707\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAn \u003cstrong\u003einformation card\u003c\/strong\u003e is included with \u003cstrong\u003eimages from Apollo 13\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003edetails about the mission\u003c\/strong\u003e, and \u003cstrong\u003ea certificate of authenticity\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/apollo-13-product-images-13_grande.jpg?v=1566493602\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe card also features a centerline die-cut square matching the dimensions of the acrylic cube.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/apollo-13-product-images-14_grande.jpg?v=1566493575\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis allows you to showcase the specimen inside the display case with any one of four different designs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/front-coa-1x2_1024x1024.jpg?v=1566566639\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlease Note: The magnified lid is secured to the acrylic cube with special tape, but the specimen inside is directly accessible.\u003c\/strong\u003e If you choose to remove the lid to examine the specimen, please use extreme caution. \u003cem\u003eThis cannot be stressed enough. \u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" data-mce-style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eKapton foil is very light and can easily escape.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e In addition, due to the delicate nature of the material, fragments can vary in shape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSource:\u003c\/strong\u003e Acquired at auction, this material comes from the personal collection of retired NASA Production Control Engineer William R. Whipkey. Among space collectors, Whipkey is considered the most reliable source for kapton foil because he oversaw the decommissioning of the Command Modules from multiple missions. He was also responsible for making most of the commemorative displays for astronauts, VIPs, and others who worked on the Apollo Program.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Small (1mm x 1mm)","offer_id":53029253611801,"sku":"80-112-0011-201-36","price":69.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Medium (2mm x 2mm)","offer_id":53029253644569,"sku":"80-112-0406-201-40","price":276.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/2mm-apollo-13-whipkey-01-front.jpg?v=1787177840"},{"product_id":"manhattan-project-shield-window-fragment","title":"Manhattan Project Shield Window Fragment","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe Manhattan Project was the codename for the research and development effort which allowed the United States to rapidly develop a series of atomic breakthroughs during World War II, including the first industrial-scale plutonium production reactor and the first atomic bombs. This enormous project involved over one hundred thousand scientists, engineers, technicians, and construction workers at more than 30 sites across the United States, including well-known locations such as Oak Ridge, Los Alamos, Trinity, and Hanford.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis specimen is a fragment of a leaded glass shield window installed in the T Plant (221-T) Plutonium Recovery Building, the first and largest of two production bismuth-phosphate chemical separations plants used to extract plutonium from fuel rods irradiated in the Hanford Site’s reactors. The Plutonium produced here was used \u003c\/span\u003ein both the Trinity test on July 16, 1945 and in the \"Fat Man\" atomic bomb used over Nagasaki, Japan on August 9, 1945.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe glass was sold during a government surplus auction in the late 1980s as part of the long (and continuing) decommissioning process. The yellow color of the glass is due to a high concentration of lead-oxide (up to 70%), which blocks blue and near-UV spectral frequencies, and also gives the glass its protective qualities.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029253677337,"sku":"80-112-0059-201-36","price":39.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/manhattan-project-riker-2026-MAIN-003.jpg?v=1787177839"},{"product_id":"triceratops-tooth","title":"Triceratops Tooth","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Triceratops’ jaws came together to form a sharp curved beak. This feature was built not for biting, but for grasping and pulling at plants. Behind this beak sat the dinosaur’s teeth, which were arranged in a tight structure called a dental battery. This specimen is a fossil Triceratops tooth, which is over 66,000,000 years old.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese teeth batteries consisted of columns of teeth that would grow and erupt, replacing the worn and broken teeth at the top of the stack. While this was a somewhat common adaptation for herbivorous dinosaurs, the Triceratops’ teeth were nestled inside one another, meaning their teeth were constantly being replaced.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Small","offer_id":53029253710105,"sku":"80-112-0169-201-40","price":39.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Medium","offer_id":53029253742873,"sku":"80-112-0176-201-40","price":59.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Large","offer_id":53029253775641,"sku":"80-112-0103-201-38","price":129.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/add-on-triceratops-tooth-01-1000.jpg?v=1787177841"},{"product_id":"chelyabinsk-meteorite-classic-riker-box-specimens","title":"Chelyabinsk Meteorite - Classic Riker Box Specimens","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ff2a00;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Chelyabinsk meteorite is part of the First Edition collection. We are happy to offer it once again as a stand-alone specimen!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNormally, the Sun is the brightest object you see in the sky, but on the morning of February 15th, 2013, this wasn’t the case. Just minutes after sunrise, over 18 miles up, an object entering the Earth’s atmosphere exploded over the town of Chelyabinsk in Russia. This object, known as the Chelyabinsk meteor, has since become one of the most witnessed entries of an extraterrestrial object.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis specimen is a Chelyabinsk meteorite fragment. The specimen is housed in an acrylic jar that is encased within a glass-topped riker display box. The box measures 4 1\/2\" x 3 1\/2\". A small information card is also included, which serves as the certificate of authenticity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBoth small and medium sized fragments are available. You can see the full sizing info further below.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Small","offer_id":53029253808409,"sku":"80-112-0253-201-40","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Medium","offer_id":53029253841177,"sku":"80-112-0121-201-36","price":39.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/chelyabinsk-group.jpg?v=1787177842"},{"product_id":"allosaurus-vertebra","title":"Allosaurus Vertebra","description":"\u003cp\u003eWith its iconic skull \"hornlets,\" Allosaurus struck a unique and intimidating figure when compared to other carnivorous dinosaurs. This bipedal predator lived during the Late Jurassic, over 145,000,000 years ago, and used its powerful bite to take down prey in packs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis specimen is a fragment of an Allosaurus vertebra recovered on private land from the Morrison Formation in Utah. Both small and medium fossil fragments are available in one of our handsome display cases.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Classic Riker Box Specimen - Small","offer_id":53029253873945,"sku":"80-112-0208-201-40","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Classic Riker Box Specimen - Medium","offer_id":53029253906713,"sku":"80-112-0215-201-40","price":49.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/27-ALLOSAURUS.jpg?v=1787177842"},{"product_id":"extraterrestrial-amino-acids-cm2-carbonaceous-chondrites","title":"Extraterrestrial Amino Acids - CM2 Carbonaceous Chondrites","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/amino-acids-front_1024x1024.png?v=1637489247\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: The front of the specimen card\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach year nearly 40,000,000 kilograms (88.1 million pounds) of meteoritic material rains down on the Earth from outer space. Less than 1% of these falls holds traces of organic compounds, and within this tiny subset scientists sometimes come across even rarer material: amino acids.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/working-on-amino-acids-2_1024x1024.jpg?v=1637600259\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Working on samples of the Murchison meteorite.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCrafted in our workshop, this specimen is composed of two special carbonaceous chondrites: \u003cstrong\u003eMurchison\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eJbilet Winselwan\u003c\/strong\u003e. The specimen measures roughly 1.5cm in length or three times the size of the specimen included in the Fourth Edition Mini Museum.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/meteorshower-6_1024x1024.jpg?v=1637600372\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Preparing specimens. Each sheet is made by hand.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBoth of these meteorites are CM2 class carbonaceous chondrites, a class known to contain the highest density of amino acids. Murchison in particular is one of the most studied of all meteorites, displaying over 70 different amino acids, including 8 of the 20 proteinogenic amino acids used to build proteins encoded in our DNA found in all life here on Earth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/extraterrestrial-amino-acids-context-2_1024x1024.jpg?v=1637607129\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: The Extraterrestrial Amino Acids (CM2 Class Carbonaceous Chondrites) Specimen with two fragments of the Murchison meteorite.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe specimen is housed in an acrylic jar that is encased within a glass-topped riker display box. The box measures 4 1\/2\" x 3 1\/2\". A small information card is also included, which serves as the certificate of authenticity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlease Note:\u003c\/strong\u003e The distribution of the meteoritic material in each specimen will be unique. Product images are representative samples. The approximate size is 2 cm wide by 1 cm tall (e.g. twice the size of the specimen in the Fourth Edition).\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029253939481,"sku":"80-112-0196-201-40","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/add-on-extraterrestrial-amino-acids-01-1000.jpg?v=1787177842"},{"product_id":"krayt-dragon-star-wars-iv","title":"Krayt Dragon - Star Wars IV","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOn May 25th, 1977, George Lucas' \u003cem\u003eStar Wars\u003c\/em\u003e premiered in theaters. The film was an instant success. Fans saw the movie multiple times, sometimes on the same day. \u003cem\u003eStar Wars\u003c\/em\u003e went on to become a global phenomenon and still remains the third highest-grossing film of all time (inflation-adjusted).\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThis specimen contains fragments of the fiberglass from \u003cem\u003eStar Wars Episode IV's\u003c\/em\u003e \"Krayt Dragon\" prop, the long serpentine skeleton C-3PO encounters soon after separating from R2-D2 on Tatooine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTo protect this fragile material, we've encased fragments of the original Krayt Dragon prop inside clear acrylic and affixed it to a sturdy black acrylic disc. Really, this is as Jawa-proof as it gets.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe completed specimen is easy to handle and provides a sharp background contrast to the light color of the original fiberglass. You'll also find a large certificate card with authenticity details, the history of the prop, and a map! Also available is an upgraded display case specimen, which ships within an acrylic gem jar and includes a glass-topped riker case.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Krayt Dragon Specimen + Card","offer_id":53029253972249,"sku":"80-112-0421-201-40","price":15.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Krayt Dragon Specimen + Card + Display Case","offer_id":53029254005017,"sku":"80-112-0304-201-40","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/NewKraytDragon20240126-MAIN-009_2dfb5a89-ab37-4f24-968f-127a5c34ab3b.jpg?v=1787177842"},{"product_id":"chondritic-meteorite-nwa-869","title":"Chondritic Meteorite NWA 869","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/nwa-869-01-front_1024x1024.png?v=1618247067\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: The front of the specimen card.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\"...Like drops of fiery rain\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e~ H.C. Sorby, English Geologist\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore the Sun, the solar system was a chaotic swirl of dust and ice. 4.5 billion years later, there are planets, moons, and even life. The journey is a long one that has been difficult to understand. The most important clues we have come from stones nearly as old as the solar system itself: \u003cem\u003echondritic meteorites\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStony meteorites are classified into two categories, chondrites and achondrites. Chondrites, known for their inclusion of small grains called chondrules, are meteorites that have not undergone internal melting or differentiation since their formation. This means that the material within the meteorites dates back 4.5 billion years, to the birth of the solar system as we know it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/nwa-869-tabletop_1024x1024.jpg?v=1618247269\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/nwa-869-tabletop_1024x1024.jpg?v=1618247269\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: A selection of NWA 869 specimens, each like a drop of firey rain.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis specimen is a \u003cem\u003ecomplete\u003c\/em\u003e chondritic meteorite, specifically meteorite NWA 869. NWA 869 was discovered in Northwest Africa in 2000. Over two metric tons of material from this meteorite have been found so far, with sizes ranging from pebble-sized to enormous chunks weighing more than 40 pounds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe specimen is housed in an acrylic jar that is encased within a glass-topped riker display box. The box measures 4 1\/2\" x 3 1\/2\". A small information card is also included, which serves as the certificate of authenticity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlease Note:\u003c\/strong\u003e The specimens vary in size and shape. Product images are representative samples.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout Chondritic Meteorites\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlanets have enough mass to cause significant melting and separation of geologic material. This makes it difficult to learn how they were formed, as their initial state is lost to time. Chondrites, however, have remained relatively untouched. Their geologic structure is a relic from the early solar system and clarifies the past of larger, more complex bodies as well.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBefore the planets formed, the solar system was a mix of dust, grains, and ice that orbited the protosun in a disk shape. Over time, this material smashed together, slowly forming planets and asteroids. While the planets grew and changed, asteroids floated around the solar system for billions of years, only occasionally colliding with other objects. Eventually, some asteroids approached Earth, impacting and becoming meteorites.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eChondrites can be identified by the presence of small round grains called chondrules. These beads vary in size but tend to be around a millimeter in diameter. Chondrules are made of silicate minerals and can be glassy or crystalline. It is suggested that they were created by the flash heating and rapid cooling of dust in the early solar system and that the chondrules then gradually accreted together. These tiny objects are the oldest solid matter in the solar system and are the building blocks of planets.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFurther Reading\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMcSween, Harry Y. “Chondritic Meteorites and the Formation of Planets: Leftover Raw Materials from the Beginning of the Solar System Provide Insights into the Way the Planets Were Assembled.” American Scientist, vol. 77, no. 2, 1989, pp. 146–153.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eSorby, H.C, “On the structure and origin of meteorites”, Nature, vol 15, no. 388, 1877, pp. 405–498.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eConnelly, James N., et al. “The Absolute Chronology and Thermal Processing of Solids in the Solar Protoplanetary Disk.” Science, vol. 338, no. 6107, 2012, pp. 651–655.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/nwa-869-back_1024x1024.png?v=1618247090\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: The back of the specimen card.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029254037785,"sku":"80-112-0122-201-36","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/add-on-nwa869-02-1000.jpg?v=1787177842"},{"product_id":"abraham-lincoln-springfield-brick","title":"Abraham Lincoln Springfield Brick","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/lincoln-front-03_1024x1024.png?v=1601905340\" loading='lazy\"'\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Front of the Specimen Card\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDuring his life, Abraham Lincoln only owned one home: 413 South Eighth Street in Springfield, Illinois. The Lincoln family moved to the property in 1844 and the building would be their home through highs and lows in both family and political life. This specimen is a fragment of brick from the walkway of that home. The brick was removed during renovation work in 1954. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOriginally, part of the First Edition of the Mini Museum we are proud to offer it once more as a stand-alone item.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/process-lincoln-brick_1024x1024.jpg?v=1601910103\" alt=\"\" loading='lazy\"'\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Macro image of brick specimen preparation in-process\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach hand-cut brick fragment is encased inside an acrylic specimen jar and presented in one of our classic, glass-topped riker display boxes. The size varies but o\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003en average the fragments measure 1 x 0.5 x 0.5 cm. \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eThe riker display box measures 4 1\/2\" x 3 1\/2\". A small information card is also included, which serves as the certificate of authenticity.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029254070553,"sku":"80-112-0085-201-36","price":39.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/abraham-lincoln-MAIN-001.jpg?v=1787177843"},{"product_id":"dire-wolf-jaw-classic-riker-box","title":"Dire Wolf Jaw Classic Riker Box","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe dire wolf was one of the most successful predators of the late Pleistocene epoch, rivaling that of the Smilodon. Ranging from Alaska to Bolivia, this muscular carnivore dominated the North American food chain 100,000 years ago with its powerful bite and pack tactics.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis specimen is a fragment of the dire wolf's iconic jaw, which is placed in one of our classic glass-topped riker display cases alongside an informational photo card.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029254136089,"sku":"80-112-0119-201-36","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/add-on-direwolf-01-1000.jpg?v=1787177843"},{"product_id":"mammoth-hair","title":"Mammoth Hair","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ff2a00;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRadiocarbon-dated to 19,551 years old! Mammoth Hair is part of the First Edition collection. We are happy to offer it once again as a stand-alone specimen\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/mammoth-hair-front_1024x1024.png?v=1621950965\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003csmall\u003eAbove: Front of Specimen Card\u003c\/small\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\"Various legends exist about frozen mammoths. It has been said that the scientists who excavated the Beresovka mammoth, discovered in the year 1900, enjoyed a banquet on mammoth steak. What really appears to have happened is that one of them made a heroic attempt to take a bite out of this meat but was unable to keep it down, in spite of a generous use of spices.\" ~ Björn Kurtén in \"How to Deep Freeze a Mammoth\"\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn the popular imagination, the \"Ice Age\" happened in the distant past, but in fact, the ice age is still ongoing today. We just live in a warm pocket known as an interglacial period, also known as the Holocene. Our ice age began 2.6 million years ago at the start of the Pleistocene epoch. Repeated periods of glacial incursions during the Pleistocene created the permanent ice sheets that cover Antarctica, Greenland, and parts of the Arctic. The changing environment also allowed for the development of large animals known as megafauna adapted to the climate, including the woolly mammoth.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eA full-grown woolly mammoth, just one species of the genus Mammuthus, stood 10-12 feet at the shoulder with shaggy hair. The woolly mammoth's hair provided a substantial advantage in the struggle to stay warm.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/mammoth-hair-wide_1024x1024.jpg?v=1623065815\" alt=\"\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/mammoth-hair-wide_1024x1024.jpg?v=1623065815\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Mammoth Hair from the First Edition of the Mini Museum\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis specimen is a tuft of woolly mammoth hair. \u003c\/span\u003eThe specimen comes from a well-preserved wooly mammoth discovered near the Indigkra River in Siberia, Russia, radiocarbon-dated to 19,551 years old. Mammoth Hair originally appeared in the First Edition of the Mini Museum. We're pleased to offer it once again as a single specimen. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/mammoth-hair-open_1024x1024.jpg?v=1623065860\" alt=\"\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/mammoth-hair-open_1024x1024.jpg?v=1623065860\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs pictured above, the specimen comes in an acrylic jar, which housed inside a glass-topped Riker display box measuring 4x3x1 (inches). A small information card accompanies the specimen and serves as the certificate of authenticity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlease Note: Every tuft is completely unique. \u003c\/strong\u003eColoring and texture vary widely. Images on this page convey typical specimens. The hair has not been treated in any way. It is meant for display and study only.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMore about the Woolly Mammoth\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/mammoth-meat-illustration_1024x1024.jpg?v=1621950911\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRoughly the mass of a modern African elephant, the woolly mammoth evolved some 400,000 years ago in Siberia from the steppe mammoth widespread on that continent, and ultimately spread westward into Europe and eastward into North America via the Beringian land bridge that once connected modern-day Russia and Alaska. This event may have been the second mammoth invasion of the New World, as the steppe mammoth forayed to North America about 1.5 million years ago and evolved there into the endemic (and enormous) Columbian mammoth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Pleistocene North America, woolly mammoths primarily roamed the cold, treeless tundra-grasslands immediately below the continental ice sheets—the American reach of the mammoth steppe—while Columbian mammoths occupied a more southerly, temperate range encompassing most of today's Lower 48 States and which extended deep into Mexico.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThey shared this territory with fellow Pleistocene grazers, subsisting mainly on grasses and sedges along with willows, alders, and other stunted trees that grew sparsely in the high-latitude steppe lands, far more diverse biomass than the modern Arctic tundra.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter disappearing from continental ranges roughly 10,000 years ago, small, isolated populations of woolly mammoths survived on Alaska's St. Paul Island until about 5,600 years ago and on Russia's Wrangel Island until perhaps 4,000 years ago. All of these pockets eventually died out due to the lack of genetic diversity that comes from metropolitan interactions with larger populations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFurther Reading\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eKurtén, Björn. How to deep-freeze a mammoth. Columbia University Press, 1986.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eBocherens, Hervé, et al. \"Isotopic evidence for diet and subsistence pattern of the Saint-Césaire I Neanderthal: review and use of a multi-source mixing model.\" Journal of human evolution 49.1 (2005): 71-87.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eSherkow, Jacob S., and Henry T. Greely. \"What if extinction is not forever?.\" Science 340.6128 (2013): 32-33.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eCooper, Alan, et al. \"Abrupt warming events drove Late Pleistocene Holarctic megafaunal turnover.\" Science (2015): aac4315.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTikhonov, Alexei, Larry Agenbroad, and Sergey Vartanyan. \"Comparative analysis of the mammoth populations on Wrangel Island and the Channel Islands.\" Advances in Mammoth Research 9 (2003): 415-420.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBarrow, Mark V. Nature's Ghosts: Confronting Extinction from the Age of Jefferson to the Age of Ecology. University of Chicago Press, 2009.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/mammoth-hair-back_1024x1024.png?v=1621950946\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003csmall\u003eAbove: Back of Specimen Card\u003c\/small\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029254234393,"sku":"80-112-0131-201-40","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/add-on-mammoth-hair-01-1000.jpg?v=1787177845"},{"product_id":"fossil-white-shark-tooth","title":"Fossil White Shark Tooth","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ff2a00;\" data-mce-style=\"color: #ff2a00;\"\u003e\u003cb style=\"color: #ff2a00;\"\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/great-white-front-02_1024x1024.png?v=1631097029\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Great White Shark: an apex predator known around the world that dominates the ocean with its ferocity. This species has existed for millions of years and evolved into a deadly hunter as it spread through the global seas. It is though, still only an animal, not a monster like blockbuster movies might make some believe. The shark does not hunt with malice, but that doesn’t make its methods any less brutal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRecovered from Miocene epoch deposits in Peru, this specimen comes from an ancestor species of today’s great white shark. C. \u003cem\u003ehastalis\u003c\/em\u003e and C. \u003cem\u003ehubbelli\u003c\/em\u003e had similar tooth shapes with varying degrees of serrations suggesting a clear evolutionary path from early mako sharks. The estimated age is 5-8 million years old.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/extinct-white-large-in-hand-02_1024x1024.jpg?v=1631112890\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: A Large tooth in hand.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eThe specimen comes in a classic, glass-topped riker box case measuring 4 1\/2\" x 3 1\/2\". A small information card is included, also serving as the certificate of authenticity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eExtinct White Shark Tooth Sizes\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSmall\u003c\/strong\u003e - 0.5 to 1\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMedium\u003c\/strong\u003e - 1\" to 1.5\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLarge\u003c\/strong\u003e - 1.5\" Plus\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/extinct-white-large-medium-star-01_60da854f-a500-4da9-bbd2-f26b9ab865ee_1024x1024.jpg?v=1631111595\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Large and Medium Teeth showing a range of shapes and colors.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlease note:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eTooth shapes and colors vary widely with this specimen. To protect the specimen during transit every tooth is individually wrapped. On receipt, simply open the top of the case and unwrap the tooth and then arrange the tooth inside the case as pictured here on the site. We also recommend placing the bubble wrap under the soft, white lining of the case. This extra padding will keep the tooth snug in the case after the lid is secured.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/extinct-white-small-medium-large-01_1024x1024.jpg?v=1631111647\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Clockwise from the bottom: Small, Medium, and Large Teeth displayed with the Specimen Card.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMore About White Sharks\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\"You’re gonna need a bigger boat.\" ~ Chief Brody, Jaws (1975)\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/great-white-illustration-final_1024x1024.jpg?v=1631111048\" alt=\"\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/great-white-illustration-final_1024x1024.jpg?v=1631111048\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: \"Hello!\" (Source: Mini Museum)\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e The great white, or Carcharodon carcharias, appears in all major oceans worldwide. Some specimens have been recorded to grow up to 20 feet long and weigh over 5,000 pounds. Such a creature requires constant feeding and a large hunting ground, which has made study of the species difficult and long-term capture impossible.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eVery few creatures can outmatch the great white in the open ocean. The shark feeds primarily on dolphins, seals, and turtles, but some have been known to go after fish and birds as well. As it approaches prey, the shark can use a special electroreception sense to feel electric fields given off by creatures. This amazing ability helps them determine the precise locations of their target before they strike.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/transitional-white-tooth-illustration_1024x1024.jpg?v=1631110852\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/transitional-white-tooth-illustration_1024x1024.jpg?v=1631110852\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: A White Shark Jumping with Prey at Sunset (Source: Mini Museum)\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eA seal unfortunate enough to find itself in the eyes of a hungry great white is in for a prolonged and brutal struggle. The shark lurks beneath its prey, preparing for the perfect moment to launch itself upwards. It snatches the seal, breaking the surface for a moment with the momentum of its attack, and clamps down with a bite force of 18,000 newtons. The shark wrestles the seal beneath the waves, using its rows of serrated teeth to saw back and forth into the animal’s flesh. This continues as the seal attempts to escape and the shark drags it back down. The profuse bleeding eventually exsanguinates the seal and the shark’s meal is secured.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg data-mce-fragment=\"1\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/extinct-white-large-medium-small-grid_1024x1024.jpg?v=1631112824\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/extinct-white-large-medium-small-grid_1024x1024.jpg?v=1631112824\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Large, Medium, and Small examples together and in-hand.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor a long time, the common scientific consensus was that the Carcharodons descended from the ancient megatoothed sharks, Megalodon. This was based on their similar body shape and ecological roles. However, recent studies of the teeth of great whites have changed this opinion. A new species of ancient shark, \u003cem\u003eCarcharodon hastalis\u003c\/em\u003e and later \u003cem\u003eC. hubbelli\u003c\/em\u003e, was discovered with a similar tooth shape, albeit lacking the great white’s serrations. Over millions of years, new fossils show this species’ teeth gaining the jagged edge we see in shark teeth today, suggesting an evolution from mako sharks rather than megatoothed sharks. This would be consistent with the change in diet from primarily fish to marine mammals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg data-mce-fragment=\"1\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/AdobeStock_95064617_1024x1024.jpg?v=1631111216\" alt=\"\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/AdobeStock_95064617_1024x1024.jpg?v=1631111216\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Modern Great White Jumping in South Africa\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou might think of great whites as bloodthirsty monsters that attack any humans they come across. Movies and television like Jaws have done much to emphasize this view, though it actually has little basis in reality. While it’s true that attacks do occur from great whites, they are actually rather rare; as of 2020, there are only around 60 recorded attacks per year, a smaller percent of which are fatal. Many of these encounters play out with the shark biting down to exsanguinate the human like it does with most prey, but then releasing and disappearing. It’s thought that great whites actually dislike the taste of human, preferring the fattier oceanic mammals over us.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/great-white-back_1024x1024.png?v=1631111325\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Back of the Specimen Card\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Small - 0.5\" to 1\" Includes Display Case","offer_id":53029254299929,"sku":"80-112-0173-201-40","price":59.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Medium - 1\" to 1.5\" Includes Display Case","offer_id":53029254332697,"sku":"80-112-0174-201-40","price":79.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Large - 1.5\" to 2\" Includes Display Case","offer_id":53029254365465,"sku":"80-112-0175-201-40","price":99.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/add-on-whiteshark-medium-04.jpg?v=1787177845"},{"product_id":"crinoid-feather-stars-columnal-segments","title":"Crinoid \"Feather Stars\" Columnal Segments","description":"\u003cp\u003eSometimes referred to as feather stars or sea lilies, Crinoids are members of an extended and very ancient family of sea animals known as echinoderms. Echinoderms date back as far as the Cambrian period some 541,000,000 years ago. They include such varied animals as sea urchins, sea cucumbers, and starfish. Their development was part of a much larger explosion of complex life on Earth which resulted in most of the animal or \u003cem\u003emetazoan\u003c\/em\u003e body plans we know today.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029254398233,"sku":"80-112-0087-201-38","price":19.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/crinoid-MAIN-001.jpg?v=1787177845"},{"product_id":"viking-axe-classic-riker-box-specimen","title":"Viking Axe Classic Riker Box Specimen","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eMore than 1200 years ago the Vikings left the fjords of modern Scandinavia and set out sea. Today, nearly every country in Europe has a story to tell of the Viking expansion, and the complex history of their many societies is slowly being rediscovered.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis specimen is a fragment of a Viking axe head dating to 900 CE. The axe head was restored in the 1960s using the techniques of the time, which tended to focus on the beauty of the finished object as opposed to stabilizing and preserving the material.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlease Note:\u003c\/strong\u003e The Classic Riker Box Specimens are all unique as we crafted each one here from the original material salvaged from the axes. You should still use caution when handling these specimens. Edges can be sharp and the material may flake.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029254431001,"sku":"80-112-0201-201-40","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/add-on-viking-axe-01.jpg?v=1787177845"},{"product_id":"rough-opal","title":"Rough Opal","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/rough-opal-front_1024x1024.png?v=1643637908\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Front of the Specimen Card\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eA gemstone almost alive with an intense inner fire, opals have held the attention of humans for many thousands of years. From Egypt and Classical Greece to China and the Americas, ancient civilizations valued the beauty of opal, but it is only in recent history that we've come to understand the complex nature of this unique gemstone. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/rough-opal-in-hand_1024x1024.jpg?v=1643639193\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Grant holding a Rough Opal specimen.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis specimen is a fragment of rough opalized plant material from Lightning Ridge in NSW, Australia. Australia is the largest producer of opals in the world. The opal fields here date to the Cretaceous when Central Australia was home to an enormous inland sea, known to science as the Eromanga Basin. It dates to roughly 110,000,000 years old.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/rough-opal-above_1024x1024.jpg?v=1643639268\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/rough-opal-above_1024x1024.jpg?v=1643639268\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Rough Opal Specimens\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe specimen is housed in an acrylic jar that is encased within a glass-topped riker display box. The box measures 4 1\/2\" x 3 1\/2\". A small information card is also included, which serves as the certificate of authenticity.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/rough-opal-specimen-jar-2_1024x1024.jpg?v=1643640632\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlease Note: \u003c\/strong\u003eThis specimen first appeared in the Third Edition of the Mini Museum (MM3). The single specimens offered here come from the same mine but are much larger. All specimens are completely unique and coloration varies. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029254463769,"sku":"80-112-0203-201-40","price":39.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/add-on-rough-opal-02.jpg?v=1787177846"},{"product_id":"steve-jobs-turtleneck","title":"Steve Jobs Turtleneck","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\"I want to put a ding in the universe.\" ~ Steve Jobs\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/steve-jobs-front-no-logo_grande.png?v=1559677494\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Front of the Specimen Card\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThis specimen is a swatch of fabric from a black turtleneck owned by Steve Jobs. One of the earliest examples of what would eventually become Steve's trademark style, this turtleneck was worn by Steve at the 1991 PC Forum gathering.  The turtleneck was sold by his personal assistant and purchased at a public auction.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eThe specimen first appeared in the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/minimuseum.com\/third-edition.html\"\u003eThird Edition of the Mini Museum\u003c\/a\u003e. Now that specimen production for the Third Edition is complete, we are happy to offer the remaining material as a stand-alone item.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThe specimen measures 1x1 cm and is enclosed inside an acrylic specimen jar. The jar is enclosed inside a classic, glass-topped riker display case. A small information card is also enclosed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlease Note:\u003c\/strong\u003e The back of the fabric has been treated to help prevent fraying over time while the front is soft. It is 100% cotton, at least according to the label.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029254562073,"sku":"80-112-0007-201-36","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/add-on-steve-jobs-1000.jpg?v=1787177847"},{"product_id":"smilodon-bone","title":"Smilodon Bone","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/smilodon-03-front_1024x1024.png?v=1618240383\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003csmall\u003eAbove: Front of Specimen Card\u003c\/small\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith twin, serrated, canine teeth measuring 8 inches (20 cm) and backed by 600 pounds (275 kg) of muscle,\u003cem\u003e Smilodon fatalis\u003c\/em\u003e is one of the most iconic animals of the Pleistocene Epoch. While the look of this stocky animal gave rise to its popular name, saber-tooth (or sabertooth) tigers are only distantly related to modern big cats.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/smilodon-hero-main-4_1024x1024.jpg?v=1638466109\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: 11.25\" Smilodon fatalis Femur \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSmilodon Bone Specimens:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClassic Riker Box Specimen\u003c\/strong\u003e - This specimen is a fragment of a \u003cem\u003eSmilodon fatalis\u003c\/em\u003e femur recovered on private land in Florida. This species of Smilodon ranged across North America and into the western half of South America for roughly 1.5 million years, finally succumbing with other megafauna during the Quaternary Extinction Event 10,000 years ago. \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eThe specimen measures approximately 5mm and comes in an acrylic jar, which housed inside a glass-topped Riker display box measuring 4x3x1 (inches). A small information card accompanies the specimen and serves as the certificate of authenticity.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eShowcase Specimens\u003c\/strong\u003e - Priced and sold individually. \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThese specimens are carefully wrapped and shipped in sturdy cartons. They will include individual certificates of authenticity.\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/smilodon-desk_1024x1024.jpg?v=1618245242\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Smilodon Bone Classic Riker Box Specimen.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Classic Riker Box Specimen","offer_id":53029254496537,"sku":"80-112-0120-201-36","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/smilodon-desk.jpg?v=1787177847"},{"product_id":"charles-and-diana-royal-wedding-cake","title":"Charles and Diana Royal Wedding Cake","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe marriage of HRH Charles Windsor, Prince of Wales, and Lady Diana Spencer was an international sensation. Watched by an estimated 750,000,000 people around the world, the wedding was the culmination of a fairy tale in which an assistant kindergarten teacher became a princess overnight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis item is a \u003cstrong\u003efragment\u003c\/strong\u003e of the royal wedding cake, a traditional fruit cake with cream cheese frosting. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach hand-cut cake \u003cstrong\u003efragment\u003c\/strong\u003e is encased inside an acrylic specimen jar and presented in one of our classic, glass-topped riker display boxes. T\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ehe riker display box measures 4 1\/2\" x 3 1\/2\". A small information card, which serves as the certificate of authenticity, is also included.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlease Note:\u003c\/strong\u003e These cake fragments have NOT been stabilized in any way. That said, this item is intended for display only and should NOT be considered food. It should also be noted that 40-year-old fruitcakes tend to be a bit candied in texture (i.e. sticky). So, if you open the specimen jar, they may remain adhered to the acrylic top. This is normal. Finally, some fragments will have more fruit than cake and some will have more cake than fruit, just like life.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029254529305,"sku":"80-112-0164-201-40","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/add-on-royal-wedding-cake-01.jpg?v=1787177847"},{"product_id":"phytosaur-teeth-classic-riker-box-specimens","title":"Phytosaur Teeth - Classic Riker Box Specimens","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ff2a00;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eIn the early Mesozoic era, dinosaurs walked the Earth and heavy ferns covered the land in a hot climate, but one familiar danger lurked at the water’s edge: the ancient Phytosaur. This monstrous reptile was an early aquatic predator that struck with terrifying speed and power at anything unfortunate enough to cross its feeding grounds. While it resembled a modern crocodile, the phytosaur is far older and perhaps more frightening than the aquatic reptiles we know today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Small Tooth","offer_id":53029254594841,"sku":"80-112-0189-201-40","price":69.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Medium Tooth","offer_id":53029254627609,"sku":"80-112-0190-201-40","price":99.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/add-on-phytosaur-small-02-1000.jpg?v=1787177849"},{"product_id":"japanese-star-sand","title":"Japanese Star Sand","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"The tiniest of stars beneath our feet can reveal the greatest mysteries of deep time.\" ~ from the Second Edition of the Mini Museum\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/star-sand-front_grande.png?v=1556111673\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eForaminifera are single-celled creatures which produce a diverse range of beautiful and tiny protective shells. These shells appear in the fossil record as far back as 550 million-years, and in some locations, entire beaches are made up of these so-called \"foram sands.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/2085f_Japon_Hatoma_grande.jpg?v=1556113328\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Macro image of Foraminifera \"Star sand\" Hatoma Island - Japan (Source:  psammophile \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.arenophile.fr\/Pages_IMG\/P2085f.html\"\u003eMicrophotographie personnelle\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe islands of Okinawa, Japan are home to several foram sand beaches. A folktale from Taketomi-Jima describes the star-shaped shells as the children of the Polar Star and the Southern Cross, devoured and spat out again by a giant serpent which served the Seven Dragon God of the Sea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Japanese Star Sand specimen comes from a private collection obtained many years ago from Hoshizuna-no-Hama (\"Star Sand Beach\") on the island of Iriomote in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. This specimen was featured in the Second Edition of the Mini Museum and we are happy to offer it once again as a single specimen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/bbfa1e8b2971cd3b55ffec38a17a5fcb_original_grande.jpg?v=1556112513\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Hoshizuna-no-hama ( Star Sand Beach ) in Iriomote Island, Taketomi Town, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. 日本語: 星砂の浜。所在地は沖縄県竹富町の西表島。(Source: \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/1opq5ZN\"\u003ehttp:\/\/bit.ly\/1opq5ZN\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlease Note:\u003c\/strong\u003e Foram sand beaches contain many billions of foraminifera remains along with other debris one is likely to find on many beaches. To prepare this specimen, we had to begin by separating forams from actual sand and tiny bits of debris, and because the sand and the shells are essentially the same size, this had to be done by hand with tweezers. It is possible that some common beach debris may be included in this specimen but we've done our best separate the forams from the sand and other bits one is likely to find on a beach.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo make it easy for you to handle the specimen (and to include more forams), we've opted to showcase this carefully prepared specimen in a small glass vial complete with a cork stopper. The vial is enclosed in an acrylic specimen jar and displayed in a classic, glass-topped riker display box measuring 4x3x1 inches. A small information card is also included.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003cimg src=\"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/e3d6b568bf6ef3d9c54f3d864a307060_original_grande.jpg?v=1556112684\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029254660377,"sku":"80-112-0002-201-36","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/add-on-star-sand-1000.jpg?v=1787177849"},{"product_id":"u-s-capitol-building-steps","title":"U.S. Capitol Building Steps","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/uscapitol-03-front_1024x1024.png?v=1614772963\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Front of the Specimen Card\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1800, when only the first of its wings had been completed, the United States Capitol held its first meeting of Congress. Since then, through renovations, destructions, expansions, and more, the building has served as the legislative heart of the country. It is where the law of the land is drafted, critiqued, and created, and for many, where democracy prevails over chaos and tyranny.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eEven after the Statue of Freedom was mounted at the apex of the dome in 1863, the Capitol still underwent changes that continue to this day. Like the democratic government the building represents, it is never truly finished, ever-changing with new improvements, new faces, and new ideas.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis specimen is a fragment of the first marble steps of the U.S. Capitol, originally installed in 1870 and replaced 1995 with granite.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/us-capitol-1200-04_1024x1024.jpg?v=1614893131\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMarble was an extremely important material in the eyes of the designers. They wished to invoke the image of ancient Greek and Roman architecture in their new country, something that was reflected not only in the structure but the very stones that built it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/us-capitol-1200-02_1024x1024.jpg?v=1614893157\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, when the Capitol was first planned, there were no known marble deposits near Washington D.C. Aquia Creek sandstone was used as a replacement at first, but as the country grew and the Capitol began to require renovation, marble was brought in from across the nation. Deposits from Massachusetts, Georgia, and even new quarries near the Potomac supplied new interiors, columns, facades, and stairways.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs with the Aquia Creek sandstone, this material has been made available at times for collectible in various forms. This particular piece of marble was part of a limited edition book-end set created in the late 1990s.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/us-capitol-1200-03_022d332b-5af0-4c4c-b6ce-a6d1ebd3df7b_1024x1024.jpg?v=1614893094\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach hand-cut fragment is encased inside an acrylic specimen jar and presented in one of our classic, glass-topped riker display boxes. The size of each specimen varies, but on average they measure 6 to 10 millimeters along each edge\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e. The riker display box measures 4 1\/2\" x 3 1\/2\". A small information card is also included, which serves as the certificate of authenticity.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029254693145,"sku":"80-112-0114-201-36","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/add-on-uscapitol-01-1000.jpg?v=1787177849"},{"product_id":"mount-everest-ladder-rung","title":"Mount Everest Ladder Rung","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis specimen is a precision-cut segment of ladder rung from the Khumbu Glacier on Mount Everest, roughly 2mm thick.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDiameter, shape, and condition vary widely. Diameters range from just under 1\" (2.5cm) to 1.5\" (3.8cm). Some segments have significant crampon marks along the edges, while others are relatively clean. As shown, some segments have undergone tremendous stress.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe specimen comes in a classic, glass-topped riker display box measuring 4 1\/2\" x 3 1\/2\". A small information card is also included, which also serves as the certificate of authenticity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePlease Note: You should not expect to receive a perfectly round specimen. The ladder rung segments are all 2mm thick, but the diameter, shape, and condition vary widely. Diameters range from just under 1\" (2.5cm) to 1.5\" (3.8cm). Some segments have significant crampon marks along the edges, while others are relatively clean. As shown, some segments have undergone tremendous stress.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029254824217,"sku":"80-112-0013-201-36","price":59.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/add-on-everest-ladder-rung-small-01.jpg?v=1787177852"},{"product_id":"bismuth-crystal-with-iridescent-oxide","title":"Bismuth Crystal with Iridescent Oxide","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/bismuth-front_1024x1024.png?v=1602509491\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Front of specimen card.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\"The Philosopher takes pleasure in the contemplation of the nature of these compounds while the miner takes pleasure in the profit and use he obtains from the metals he extracts from them.\" ~ Georgius Agricola, 1546\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis specimen is a complete bismuth crystal. They are hand cast in Colorado by a family that specializes in creating bismuth crystals for the jewelry industry. We loved them so much that we had to share them with you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/bismuth-crystals-in-hand_1024x1024.jpg?v=1602707235\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: A pair of Bismuth crystals in hand.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eA classic piece for every natural history collection, Bismuth, element 83, is known best for its multicolor formations of a deep, staircase-like structure. These fractal patterns are known as hopper crystals, identifiable by their hollow step lattices. When bismuth cools it forms in a rhombohedral structure with the edges of the formation crystallizing at a much faster rate than the center of the faces. This pulls material away from the interior and leaves gaps in the structure, causing the final product to appear hollow. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/bismuth-crystal-pinch_1024x1024.jpg?v=1602707663\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Close-up of a specimen displaying the intricate lattice pattern.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe crystal’s uniquely iridescent shine also occurs during its formation process. While the metal’s true color is a white silver, it can oxidize during the cooling process to form a thin layer of film.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cimg class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/bismuth-ingot-detail_1024x1024.jpg?v=1602707304\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: A pure Bismuth ingot. We've used this material to make some of our bismuth crystals and it is a fun challenge!\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThis film interferes with light waves, giving bismuth its colorful appearance, similar in process to the rainbow glimmer of a soap bubble. While these formations do not appear often in nature, bismuth’s relatively low melting point of 520 °F means it is possible to create synthetic bismuth crystals at home with the right materials.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cimg class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/bismuth-wide_1024x1024.jpg?v=1602707388\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: A selection of Bismuth crystals\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eAs you can see, each crystal is a unique and beautiful natural art object. No two will be alike.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/bismuth-closeup_1024x1024.jpg?v=1602511664\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThe specimen is contained inside an acrylic specimen jar. The jar is enclosed inside a classic, glass-topped riker display case measuring 4 1\/2\" x 3 1\/2\". A small information card is also included.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlease Note:\u003c\/strong\u003e This specimen is 100% safe to handle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eWhile it can be used as a replacement for lead or as a pigment in cosmetics, Bismuth is most commonly used for medicinal purposes in the compound bismuth subsalicylate, known under the brand name Pepto-Bismol. It is not well understood how bismuth subsalicylate operates when ingested, but it is thought that it stimulates the absorption of fluid and electrolytes within the intestine while inhibiting inflammations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eLong thought to have been the heaviest nonradioactive element, researchers in 2003 discovered that the naturally occurring isotope of the bismuth did in fact undergo alpha decay and calculated a half-life of 1.9×10^19 years. Luckily, this half-life is about a billion times longer than the current age of the universe, meaning that you won’t have to worry about any radioactivity from Pepto-Bismol or this specimen. 😎\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFurther Reading:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAgricola, Georgius. De Natura Fossilium (Textbook of Mineralogy). Geological Society of America, 1955.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ede Marcillac, P., Coron, N., Dambier, G. et al. Experimental detection of α-particles from the radioactive decay of natural bismuth. Nature 422, 876–878 (2003)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/bismuth-back_1024x1024.png?v=1602509532\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e Above: Back of specimen card.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029254725913,"sku":"80-112-0088-201-39","price":19.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/add-on-bismuth-01.jpg?v=1787177851"},{"product_id":"first-supercomputer-cray-1","title":"First Supercomputer Cray-1","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ff2a00;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/board-supercomputer-front_600x600.jpg?v=1579802749\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"There's something about the speed of light; It's just hard to get around.\" ~ Seymour Cray\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis item includes a small section of an original Cray-1 Module Board. We also have an alternate version that includes an IC Chip (see details below).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLEAD WARNING\u003c\/strong\u003e: \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003ePCB Module board sections do contain lead as part of their manufacturing process. \u003cstrong\u003eModule board sections should be handled with care and only while wearing gloves.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLead is known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.p65warnings.ca.gov\/\"\u003ewww.P65Warnings.ca.gov\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Module Board Only","offer_id":53029254758681,"sku":"80-112-4005-201-36","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"IC Chip and Module Board","offer_id":53029254791449,"sku":"80-112-0104-201-36","price":49.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/add-on-supercomputer-board-01.jpg?v=1787177851"},{"product_id":"pterosaur-tooth-classic-riker-box-specimens","title":"Pterosaur Tooth - Classic Riker Box Specimens","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis specimen is an individual Pterosaur tooth. It comes from the Kem Kem beds of Morocco and is associated with\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eColoborhynchus\u003c\/em\u003e, a Pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous with an estimated wingspan of 5m (15ft).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePterosaur Tooth Sizing:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.5cm to 2.5cm\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029254856985,"sku":"80-112-0016-201-36","price":59.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/add-on-pterosaur-01-1000.jpg?v=1787177851"},{"product_id":"alcatraz-penitentiary-classic-riker-box-specimens","title":"Alcatraz Penitentiary -  Classic Riker Box Specimens","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb data-stringify-type=\"bold\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThis is an authentic fragment of concrete from Alcatraz Penitentiary. Yes, an actual piece of “The Rock!\"\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ff0000;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis specimen, from the famous Alcatraz island, saw some 1,500 prisoners pass by it during the prison's operation. An informational card that serves as certificate of authenticity is included.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029254889753,"sku":"80-112-0044-201-36","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/add-on-alcatraz-01-1000.jpg?v=1787177853"},{"product_id":"medieval-chain-mail-necklace","title":"Medieval Chain Mail Necklace","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eThis necklace features three (3) rings of chain mail from the \u003cspan\u003e15th Century (CE) Medieval Chain Mail Tunic used to craft the Second Edition of the Mini Museum\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. This period is considered the sunset of chain mail in Europe, as advanced plate armor completely supplanted mail. It is available in both silver and gold.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSilver and Gold\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCrafted at Mini Museum, the authentic chain mail rings are interspersed with \u003cstrong\u003eSterling Silver\u003c\/strong\u003e or \u003cstrong\u003e14kt Gold-Filled\u003c\/strong\u003e rings. Both silver and gold versions of this necklace feature a cable-style chain that measures 18-inches (~45cm). The complete necklace comes in a decorative box and includes a small information card about the specimen. The card serves as the certificate of authenticity and can be found underneath the padded lining of the display box.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe silver version is shipped within a small anti-tarnish bag to protect the silver elements of the piece during storage and transport. You may wish to keep this bag to store your piece when you are not wearing it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Gold","offer_id":53029254922521,"sku":"50-807-4505-206-83","price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Silver","offer_id":53029254955289,"sku":"50-807-4505-206-81","price":99.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/chainmail-necklace-gold-main-zoom.jpg?v=1787177853"},{"product_id":"dracula-soil","title":"Dracula Soil 🦇","description":"\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"He was deathly pale, just like a waxen image, and the red eyes glared with the horrible vindictive look which I knew so well.\" ~ Bram Stoker, Dracula (1897)\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis specimen is a vial of earth from Cetatea Poenari, one of the favorite haunts of Vlad Tepes III, Prince of Wallachia, and member of the house of Drăculești. The soil was collected in person and with permission by our co-founder and the creator of the Mini Museum. The soil is contained in a small, glass vial with a cork stopper. The vial is enclosed in a handsome, glass-topped riker box case measuring 4 1\/2\" x 3 1\/2\". A small information card is also included, which serves as the certificate of authenticity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease see our website for even more information about this specimen, Vlad Tepes, and Cetatea Poenari.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029255053593,"sku":"80-112-0084-201-36","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/add-on-dracula-soil.jpg?v=1787177854"},{"product_id":"the-great-dying-extinction-event-siberian-traps-slab","title":"The Great Dying Extinction Event - Siberian Traps Slab","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/great-dying-front_600x600.png?v=1576008552\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eOur planet has gone through many different cycles of life and death over the last 4.5 billion years, from the rise and long-lasting reign of the dinosaurs to the endless variations of tiny cyanobacteria stretching back billions of years. While the fossil record holds a picture of many dramatic events, nothing quite compares to the Permian-Triassic Extinction Event, known as \"The Great Dying.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/species-extinction-rate-chart-smooth-line-smaller_1024x1024.jpg?v=1610986076\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: While there have been numerous extinction events scattered across time, the chart to the left highlights the \"Big Five\" events as well as a number of smaller events that have occurred in between: Ordovician–Silurian(441,000,000), Late Devonian (359,000,000), Permian–Triassic (252,000,000), Triassic–Jurassic (201,000,000), Cretaceous–Paleogene (66,000,000).\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis specimen is a basalt slab from the Kuznetsk Basin in southwestern Siberia. The Kuznetsk Basin is also home to one of the largest coal deposits on earth, a remnant of the global destruction caused by the Siberian Traps during the greatest extinction event in the history of the planet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe specimen comes inside a classic, glass-topped riker display case measuring 4 1\/2\" x 3 1\/2\". A small information card is also enclosed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlease Note:\u003c\/strong\u003e Specimens vary in shape and thickness. This material is very dense and difficult to cut, but we generally aim for a 1 x 1\" (2.5 x 2.5 cm) mini-slab. Some edges will be smooth and others will be sharp so do take care when handling this specimen. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMore About The Great Dying\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\"\"La vie a souvent été troublée sur cette terre par des événemens effroyables.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Life has often been disturbed on this earth by frightful events.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e~ Georges Cuvier, Discours sur les révolutions de la surface du globe (1822)\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKnown as \"The Great Dying,\" the Permian-Triassic Extinction Event is the largest extinction event in the history of the planet. While studies point to several factors, the chief catalyst of this extinction event is a series of massive volcanic eruptions known as the Siberian Traps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/04-GREAT-DYING_1024x1024.jpg?v=1576008736\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOver the course of 1,000,000 years, these flood basalt eruptions covered over 7 million square kilometers (2,700,000 square miles) with as much as 4 million cubic kilometers of lava (~1,000,000 cubic miles). Carbon dioxide and methane releases triggered by the Siberian Traps caused runaway global warming, driving ocean temperatures to exceed 40C (104F) and killing nearly 95% of life on Earth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eNickel released by the Siberian Traps triggered marine bacteria to produce massive amounts of methane. Combined with an injection of carbon dioxide and sulfate aerosols, runaway global warming pushed ocean temperatures over 40C (104F).\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSuch devastation on land and sea is unequaled in the fossil record. Nearly 95% of all life perished, and most studies indicate life took millions of years to rebound. As life returned, new species rose to the top. The Synapsids (mammal-like reptiles such as Dimetrodon) were replaced by Archosaurs. The Archosaurs descendants included birds, crocodilians, pterosaurs, and of course dinosaurs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/AdobeStock_169703303_1024x1024.jpg?v=1610985892\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: The rugged terrain of Putorana Plateau on the Taymyr Peninsula in Siberia, Russia is completely formed from the remains of the Siberian Traps. It lies more than 1,000 miles (1,600 km) away from the Kuznetsk Basin giving some sense to the massive scale of this formation.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFurther Reading\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDavies, Clare, Mark B. Allen, Misha M. Buslov and Inna Safonova. \"Deposition in the Kuznetsk Basin, Siberia : insights into the Permian-Triassic transition and the Mesozoic evolution of Central Asia.\" Palaeogeography, palaeoclimatology, palaeoecology 295.1 (2010): 307-322. dro.dur.ac.uk. Web. 13 March 2018.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eKolbert, Elizabeth. The sixth extinction: An unnatural history. A\u0026amp;C Black, 2014.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eHallam, Tony. Catastrophes and Lesser Calamities : The Causes of Mass Extinctions. Oxford University Press, 2005. EBSCOhost.com. Web. 13 March 2018.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eSaunders, Andy and Marc Reichow. \"The Siberian Traps and the End-Permian mass extinction: a critical review.\" Chinese Science Bulletin 54.1 (2009): 20-37. Ira.le.ac.uk. Web. 13 March 2018.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029255020825,"sku":"80-112-0018-201-36","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/great-dying-in-hand-MAIN-004.jpg?v=1787177853"},{"product_id":"dinosaur-eggshell","title":"Dinosaur Eggshell","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/dino-eggshell-front_4664cfee-6657-4c78-88f4-b2e2cf7d63d9_1024x1024.png?v=1649773181\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis specimen is a fragment of Hypselosaurus eggshell from the Provence region of southern France. Recent studies suggest that the sauropod may have been a \"small\" titanosaur, measuring perhaps 12m (40ft) in length in adulthood.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe specimen comes inside a classic, glass-topped riker display case measuring 4 1\/2\" x 3 1\/2\". A small information card is also enclosed. As pictured, the eggshell is also enclosed in a small acrylic specimen jar.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029254988057,"sku":"80-112-0020-201-36","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/add-on-dino-eggshell-01-1000.jpg?v=1787177854"},{"product_id":"mammoth-meat","title":"Mammoth Meat","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ff2a00;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRadiocarbon-dated to 19,551 years old!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/mammoth-meat-front_1024x1024.png?v=1591199850\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003csmall\u003eAbove: Front of Specimen Card\u003c\/small\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\"Various legends exist about frozen mammoths. It has been said that the scientists who excavated the Beresovka mammoth, discovered in the year 1900, enjoyed a banquet on mammoth steak. What really appears to have happened is that one of them made a heroic attempt to take a bite out of this meat but was unable to keep it down, in spite of a generous use of spices.\" ~ Björn Kurtén in \"How to Deep Freeze a Mammoth\"\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis specimen is a fragment of a woolly mammoth muscle tissue, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eradiocarbon dated to 19,551 years old. \u003c\/span\u003eThe specimen comes from a well-preserved wooly mammoth leg discovered near the Indigkra River in Siberia, Russia. It first appeared in the Second Edition of the Mini Museum. We're pleased to offer it once again as a single specimen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/mammoth-leg-with-marker_1024x1024.png?v=1591203722\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: The original leg as discovered in Siberia. This piece is now displayed in a museum in Japan.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs you might expect, each tissue fragment is unique. The pieces vary widely in size, shape, color, and texture. We do not recommend or endorse the consumption of this item. It is not food. It is a display piece.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/meat-01_1024x1024.jpg?v=1591204786\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: A close-up of a large section of mammoth muscle tissue.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe specimen comes in an acrylic jar, which housed inside a glass-topped Riker display box measuring 4x3x1 (inches). A small information card accompanies the specimen and serves as the certificate of authenticity.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlease Note: We have not stabilized this material with resin.\u003c\/strong\u003e It is very firm, like leather, but we recommend treating it as fragile as it can shed dusty bits. For this reason, we've placed each specimen in an acrylic specimen jar. We recommend keeping it in the jar at all times as it can be fragrant when exposed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout the Woolly Mammoth\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRoughly the mass of a modern African elephant, the woolly mammoth evolved some 400,000 years ago in Siberia from the steppe mammoth widespread on that continent, and ultimately spread westward into Europe and eastward into North America via the Beringian land bridge that once connected modern-day Russia and Alaska. This event may have been the second mammoth invasion of the New World, as the steppe mammoth forayed to North America about 1.5 million years ago and evolved there into the endemic (and enormous) Columbian mammoth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Pleistocene North America, woolly mammoths primarily roamed the cold, treeless tundra-grasslands immediately below the continental ice sheets—the American reach of the mammoth steppe—while Columbian mammoths occupied a more southerly, temperate range encompassing most of today's Lower 48 States and which extended deep into Mexico.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThey shared this territory with fellow Pleistocene grazers, subsisting mainly on grasses and sedges along with willows, alders, and other stunted trees that grew sparsely in the high-latitude steppe lands, far more diverse biomass than the modern Arctic tundra.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter disappearing from continental ranges roughly 10,000 years ago, small, isolated populations of woolly mammoth survived on Alaska's St. Paul Island until about 5,600 years ago and on Russia's Wrangel Island until perhaps 4,000 years ago. All of these pockets eventually died out due to the lack of genetic diversity that comes from metropolitan interactions with larger populations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/mammoth-meat-back_1024x1024.png?v=1591206256\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003csmall\u003eAbove: Back of Specimen Card\u003c\/small\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029255086361,"sku":"80-112-0038-201-36","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/mammoth-meat-MAIN-001.jpg?v=1787177854"},{"product_id":"raptor-tooth","title":"Raptor Tooth","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ff2a00;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLIMITED AVAILABILITY!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/raptor-tooth-front_1024x1024.png?v=1646732792\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Front of the Specimen Card\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eKnown popularly as \"raptors,\" dromaeosaurids were a diverse family of feathered theropod dinosaurs. In addition to being feathered, members of Dromaeosauridae had long tails and an elongated \"sickle claw\" on the second toe. While this distinctive body plan suggests a link to birds, scientists are still unclear on the exact connection between these two successful evolutionary lines, though there is some evidence that smaller species could at least glide.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003cimg data-mce-fragment=\"1\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/raptor-context-01-001_1024x1024.jpg?v=1646735428\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/raptor-context-01-001_1024x1024.jpg?v=1646735428\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAbove: Example raptor teeth with fine feathered friends. Fossil finds over the last several decades have confirmed that most if not all Dromeaosaurids had feathers.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eThis specimen is a raptor tooth from the Cretaceous Kem Kem beds of Morocco. Typically attributed to Dromaeosaurids, these teeth are nearly impossible to classify given the scarcity of complete skulls. Some research suggests that larger teeth (above 1\") may actually be from small members of the Abelisauridae family of Ceratosaurian dinosaurs.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRaptor Tooth Sizes\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSmall\u003c\/strong\u003e - 8-16mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMedium\u003c\/strong\u003e - 16-26mm \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll raptor teeth specimens ship in our glass-topped riker display cases. The case measures 4\"x3\"x1\". A small information card is also included, which also serves as the certificate of authenticity.  Small and Medium teeth will be enclosed in our acrylic specimen jars.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlease Note:\u003c\/strong\u003e Color and shape varies widely on this specimen. \u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Small","offer_id":53029256200473,"sku":"80-112-0210-201-40","price":99.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Medium","offer_id":53029256233241,"sku":"80-112-0211-201-40","price":129.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/add-on-raptor-tooth-small.jpg?v=1787177900"},{"product_id":"space-shuttle-endeavour-flown-thermal-blanket","title":"Space Shuttle Endeavour - Flown Thermal Blanket","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/endeavor-01-space-shuttle-front-01_1024x1024.png?v=1648473802\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Front of the Specimen Card\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe Space Shuttle \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEndeavour (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003eOV-105) \u003ci\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ewas the final of the orbiters to be built, replacing the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eChallenger \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eshuttle. Named for Captain James Cook’s HMS \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEndeavour\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, the shuttle’s career included the first repair mission for the Hubble Space Telescope and the addition of the Unity Module to the ISS, the first American addition to the space station. The \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEndeavour \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ealso flew Mae Jemison, the first African American woman in space.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis specimen is a piece of insulation blanket that was part of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEndeavour’s\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e Thermal Control System. \u003c\/span\u003eThe TCS helped the ship withstand the extreme increase in temperatures during atmospheric reentry and the TCS blanket was applied to the inside of the shuttle to protect internal components and systems.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSoftgoods such as the blanket were a simple and efficient way to provide lightweight insulation to delicate items.\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eNASA disposition paperwork received with this item indicates this particular blanket was removed after STS-99 which flew on 02\/11\/2000, which was this shuttle’s last solo mission.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAs pictured below, each hand-cut specimen is housed in an acrylic jar and ships in a classic, glass-topped riker display case. The specimens measure roughly 1x1cm though variations may occur. \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eA small information card is also included, which serves as the certificate of authenticity.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/ENDEAVOUR-DETAIL-003_1024x1024.jpg?v=1648485176\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecial Handling Notice:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt's very\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eimportant to note that \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ethis was a multi-layer insulation blanket so we've elected to provide \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emultiple layers\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e with each specimen. All specimens will have a layer of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ealuminized Kapton foil and a layer of fibrous bulk \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ematerial. It's also possible that there may be a fragment of the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDacron net separator, but we've tried to remove that as it is quite brittle\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eIn any case, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eif you choose to open the specimen jar, take great care. The Kapton is very light and slightly brittle with age and use. It may fly away or even break into smaller pieces.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMore about Space Shuttle Program and Endeavour (OV-105)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAfter the close of the Apollo program, NASA turned its focus from lunar landings to research and observation. The vessel for this new focus would be the Space Shuttle, a multi-use vehicle designed to carry astronauts and scientific equipment to and from Earth's orbit. Due to their reusable design, the orbiters were amazing tools for furthering our scientific understanding of the stars. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eNASA's Space Shuttle program delivered 133 successful missions during its three decades in operation, beginning with \u003ci\u003eColumbia's\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003einaugural mission in 1981 and concluding with \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAtlantis' \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ein 2011. Missions involved many vital tasks, such as maintaining the International Space Station, repairing the Hubble Space Telescope, and deploying satellites. Scientific experiments featured heavily in the rotation, using the reusable Spacelab developed by the ESA. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAs noted above, the Space Shuttle \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEndeavour \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ewas the final of the orbiters to be built, replacing the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eChallenger \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eshuttle. As a cost-saving measure, much of the shuttle was built from leftover parts from the other orbiters. Named for Captain James Cook’s HMS \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEndeavour\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, the shuttle’s career included the first repair mission for the Hubble Space Telescope and the addition of the Unity Module to the ISS, the first American addition to the space station. The \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEndeavour \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ealso flew Mae Jemison, the first African American woman in space.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOver its active years, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEndeavour \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eorbited Earth 4,671 times, traveling approximately 120 million miles. The shuttle weighed about 156 thousand pounds, boasting a wingspan of about 80 feet and a length of about 120 feet. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEndeavour \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ecan now be seen at the California Science Center, where it is open for display to the public.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFurther Reading\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLamoreux, James C., James D. Siekierski, and JP Nick Carter. \"Space Shuttle thermal protection system inspection by 3D imaging laser radar.\" Laser Radar Technology and Applications IX. Vol. 5412. SPIE, 2004.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003ePITTS, W., and D. KOURTIDES. \"Ceramic insulation\/multifoil composite for thermal protection of reentry spacecraft.\" 24th Thermophysics Conference. 1989.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eLinton, Roger C., Ann F. Whitaker, and Miria M. Finckenor. \"Space environment durability of beta cloth in LDEF thermal blankets.\" LDEF Materials Results for Spacecraft Applications (1993).\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eHarris, Richard, Michael Stewart, and William Koenig. \"Thermal Protection Systems Technology Transfer from Apollo and Space Shuttle to the Orion Program.\" 2018 AIAA SPACE and Astronautics Forum and Exposition. 2018.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eJenkins, Dennis R. Space shuttle: the history of the National Space Transportation System: the first 100 missions. DR Jenkins, 2001.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eJenkins, Dennis R. Space Shuttle: Developing an Icon: 1972-2013. Specialty Press, 2016.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/endeavour-space-shuttle-back_1024x1024.png?v=1648475017\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Back of the Specimen Card\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029256266009,"sku":"80-112-0220-201-40","price":49.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/add-on-shutte-endeavour-01-1000.jpg?v=1787177902"},{"product_id":"space-shuttle-atlantis-flown-thermal-blanket","title":"Space Shuttle Atlantis - Flown Thermal Blanket","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/atlantis-space-shuttle-front-02_1024x1024.png?v=1648471716\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Front of the Specimen Card\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Space Shuttle \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAtlantis \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e(OV-104)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ewas the fourth of the five space shuttles used in space operations. It was also the final shuttle to be flown. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDuring Atlantis' tenure, the craft was instrumental in sending planetary probes to Venus and Jupiter and adding modules to the ISS.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eThis specimen is a piece of a mission-flown insulation blanket, which was part of Atlantis' Thermal Control System. The TCS helped the ship withstand the extreme increase in temperatures during atmospheric reentry and the TCS blanket was applied to the inside of the shuttle to protect internal components and systems.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSoftgoods such as the blanket were a simple and efficient way to provide lightweight insulation to delicate items. \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eNASA disposition paperwork received with this item indicates this \u003c\/span\u003eparticular blanket was removed after Atlantis' mission to MIR (STS-86) which flew on September 26, 1997.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAs pictured below, each hand-cut specimen is housed in an acrylic jar and ships in a classic, glass-topped riker display case. The specimens measure roughly 1x1cm though variations may occur. \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eA small information card is also included, which serves as the certificate of authenticity.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecial Handling Notice:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt's very\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eimportant to note that\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e this was a multi-layer insulation blanket so we've elected to provide \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emultiple layers\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e with each specimen. All specimens will have a layer of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ealuminized Kapton foil and a layer of fibrous bulk \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ematerial. It's also possible that there may be a fragment of the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDacron net separator, but we've tried to remove that as it is quite brittle\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eIn any case, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eif you choose to open the specimen jar, take great care. The Kapton is very light and slightly brittle with age and use. It may fly away or even break into smaller pieces.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv title=\"Page 17\" class=\"page\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"layoutArea\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"column\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMore about Space Shuttle Program and Atlantis (OV-104)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAfter the close of the Apollo program, NASA turned its focus from lunar landings to research and observation. The vessel for this new focus would be the Space Shuttle, a multi-use vehicle designed to carry astronauts and scientific equipment to and from Earth's orbit. Due to their reusable design, the orbiters were amazing tools for furthering our scientific understanding of the stars. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eNASA's Space Shuttle program delivered 133 successful missions during its three decades in operation, beginning with Columbia's\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003einaugural launch in 1981 and concluding with \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAtlantis\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e' \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003efinal flight\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ein 2011. Missions involved many vital tasks, such as maintaining the International Space Station, repairing the Hubble Space Telescope, and deploying satellites. Scientific experiments featured heavily in the rotation, using the reusable Spacelab developed by the ESA.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAs noted above, the Space Shuttle\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAtlantis\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003ewas the fourth of the five space shuttles used in space operations. It was also the final shuttle to be flown. \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eAtlantis orbited Earth 4,848 times, traveling approximately 126 million miles, and carried 156 different passengers over its time in service. During Atlantis' tenure, the craft was instrumental in sending planetary probes to Venus and Jupiter and adding modules to the ISS.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAtlantis \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eweighed about 150,000 pounds (68,000 kg), boasting a wingspan of about 80 feet and a length of about 120 feet. \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eWhile in space,\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e Atlantis \u003c\/i\u003eorbited Earth 4,848 times, traveling approximately 126 million miles, carrying 156 different passengers. Today, you can find the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAtlantis \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eat the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on Merritt Island, Florida, where it's on public display.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFurther Reading\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMullane, Mike. Riding rockets: the outrageous tales of a space shuttle astronaut. Simon and Schuster, 2007.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLamoreux, James C., James D. Siekierski, and JP Nick Carter. \"Space Shuttle thermal protection system inspection by 3D imaging laser radar.\" Laser Radar Technology and Applications IX. Vol. 5412. SPIE, 2004.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003ePITTS, W., and D. KOURTIDES. \"Ceramic insulation\/multifoil composite for thermal protection of reentry spacecraft.\" 24th Thermophysics Conference. 1989.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eLinton, Roger C., Ann F. Whitaker, and Miria M. Finckenor. \"Space environment durability of beta cloth in LDEF thermal blankets.\" LDEF Materials Results for Spacecraft Applications (1993).\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eHarris, Richard, Michael Stewart, and William Koenig. \"Thermal Protection Systems Technology Transfer from Apollo and Space Shuttle to the Orion Program.\" 2018 AIAA SPACE and Astronautics Forum and Exposition. 2018.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eJenkins, Dennis R. Space shuttle: the history of the National Space Transportation System: the first 100 missions. DR Jenkins, 2001.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eJenkins, Dennis R. Space Shuttle: Developing an Icon: 1972-2013. Specialty Press, 2016.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/atlantis-space-shuttle-back_1024x1024.png?v=1648471605\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Back of the Specimen Card\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029256298777,"sku":"80-112-0218-201-40","price":49.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/add-on-small-riker-atlantis-2025-v2.jpg?v=1787177900"},{"product_id":"dracula-soil-vial-necklace","title":"Dracula Soil Vial Necklace 🦇","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ff2a00;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLIMITED AVAILABILITY: Each vial is made by hand, so availability for this item will be limited. If it is marked as out of stock, make sure to sign up for email notifications so that you'll be the first to know when it returns!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlease Note: This item cannot be shipped to Australia due to import restrictions.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"Dracula Soil\" was part of the First Edition collection. We're excited to bring it back from the grave in this new form! ⚰️\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/shop.minimuseum.com\/products\/dracula-soil\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlso available as a standalone specimen!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/carousel-dracula-soil-1080_1024x1024.jpg?v=1570651267\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"He was deathly pale, just like a waxen image, and the red eyes glared with the horrible vindictive look which I knew so well.\"\u003cbr\u003e~ Bram Stoker, Dracula (1897)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis specimen is a vial of earth from \u003cem\u003eCetatea Poenari, \u003c\/em\u003eone of the favorite haunts of Vlad Tepes III, Prince of Wallachia and member of the house of Drăculești.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe hand-crafted vial with cap is approximately 1\" (25mm) in length and the \u003cspan\u003ebox-style chain measures \u003c\/span\u003e18\" (45cm). Both the cap and the chain are made of sterling silver. The necklace comes in a black gift box and includes a small information card about the specimen. The card serves as the certificate of authenticity and can be found underneath the padded lining of the display box.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe necklaces are shipped within a small anti-tarnish bag to protect the silver elements of the piece during storage and transport. You may wish to keep this bag to store your piece when you are not wearing it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/dracula-soil-astmosphere-01-2_1024x1024.jpg?v=1570568817\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: The Dracula Soil Vial Necklace resting amid the earth from Cetatea Poenari\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMore Information about the Dracula Soil Specimen\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVlad Tepes \u003c\/span\u003ewas famous even before Bram Stoker used him as his model for the vampiric Count Dracula.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/vlad-tepes_1024x1024.jpg?v=1570566276\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Vlad Tepes III, Voivode (Warlord) of Wallachia 1448, 1456–1462, and 1476\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring the 15th century, Prince Vlad III was known for his heroic exploits in battle and cunning guerrilla warfare tactics against the vast forces of the Ottoman Empire. He is also known for his exceptional cruelty, including impaling tens of thousands of captured Turks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs noted above, the earth sealed in this hand-made vial comes from the grounds of \u003cem\u003eCetatea Poenari\u003c\/em\u003e, the citadel of Prince Vlad’s ancestors. Perched high on a steep precipice of rock, the fortress was one of Tepes's favorite haunts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/Poenari_1024x1024.jpg?v=1570566754\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"lead\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Cetatea Poenari accessible by climbing 1,480 stairs\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"lead\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eCetatea Poenari\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003eis not an easy place to reach, something Hans learned first-hand when he went to Romania to collect this specimen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\"When I checked into the hotel, I met a few Romanian tourists. They warned me not to walk the stairs to the fortress at night. I thought they were joking. I had secured permission already, but they said, \"No, you misunderstand. There are wolves and bears. Also, many wild dogs roaming out there at night.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAfter eating supper, I opened my guide book and learned that sure enough, this region has the highest concentration of wolves, bears and feral dogs in all of Europe. However, I could hear a storm brewing (yes, really) and suddenly I was worried the ground would be soaking wet the next day. I only had a few days in Romania and this would ruin my opportunity to collect this specimen. So, I decided to climb the cliff below the castle where nothing could reach me.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn retrospect, I suppose I am lucky to be alive, but I did learn though that while very difficult the fortress is not impossible to reach in this manner... Even when one forgets their headlamp.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe next day I used the stairs, but \u003cem\u003eof course\u003c\/em\u003e, it was beautiful and everything was dry by the afternoon.\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"lead\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/hans-dracula-soil-collecting_1024x1024.jpg?v=1570567884\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"lead\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Steel","offer_id":53029256364313,"sku":"50-807-6527-207-80","price":39.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Silver","offer_id":53029256397081,"sku":"50-807-1507-206-81","price":69.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/dracula-soil-astmosphere-01-3.jpg?v=1787177901"},{"product_id":"venice-brick","title":"Venice Brick","description":"\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\"I stood in Venice, on the Bridge of Sighs...\"\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e~ Lord Byron, 1812\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe City of Canals, the City of Bridges, the City of Masks... The city of Venice has been known by many names and ruled by many hands. Yet, despite its legendary history at the center of a long-lived republic, the ever-present Adriatic Sea has defined the fortunes of Venice, and it is to those waters that the city may eventually return.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis specimen comes from an early 14th-century paving brick uncovered in the \u003cem\u003eCannaregio sestiere\u003c\/em\u003e during a recent renovation. It first appeared in the Third Edition of the Mini Museum, and we're pleased to offer the remaining material as a single item.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe brick was acquired directly from the architectural firm performing the renovation. We are extremely grateful for Mini Museum Backer N. Lugato's assistance in identifying and securing this specimen so that we can share it with the world.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlease Note: Sizes and shapes of this specimen vary widely. Keep in mind it is a 14th-century paving brick so it is a bit fragile. Handle with care.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe specimen is enclosed in an acrylic specimen jar with a removable top, which arrives in a handsome, glass-topped riker box case measuring 4x3x1.  A small information card is included, also serving as the certificate of authenticity.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53029256331545,"sku":"80-112-0043-201-36","price":39.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/add-on-venice-brick-01-1000.jpg?v=1787177900"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/collections\/ChatGPT_Image_Sep_4_2026_07_07_14_PM.png?v=1788574050","url":"https:\/\/touchofmodern.com\/collections\/mini-museum-rare-specimens-relics.oembed","provider":"Touch of Modern","version":"1.0","type":"link"}