Oscar E. Monnig Meteorite Gallery

We will be closed today in observance of Juneteenth. We will reopen during regular business hours tomorrow, June 20th.

Wishing everyone a meaningful day of reflection, celebration, and community.

🎉 The answer is... a Tektite!

Tektites are pieces of natural glass formed when a large meteorite strikes Earth. The impact melts rocks and soil, launching molten material high into the air. As it cools and falls back to Earth, it hardens into the strange glassy shapes we call tektites.

While they aren't meteorites themselves, they are evidence of ancient cosmic collisions with our planet! ☄️🌎✨

Have you ever seen a tektite in person? Come see our collection at the Monnig!

🔍 WHAT IS IT WEDNESDAY? 🔍

This week's mystery object may look like an ordinary black rock, but its story is anything but ordinary! 👀

Here are your clues:

🌎 It formed during a powerful impact event on Earth.
🔥 It was created by extreme heat.
✨ It's actually natural glass.
☄️ Many people mistake it for a meteorite, but it isn't one!

Do you know what it is?

Drop your guess in the comments below! 👇

We'll reveal the answer tomorrow!

Bonus question: What do you think caused it to form?

☄️ METEORITE MONDAY: Meet Ensisheim!

Imagine you're walking through a wheat field in France in 1492 when suddenly a massive rock falls from the sky with a thunderous crash. 🚀💥

That's exactly what happened when the Ensisheim meteorite landed near the town of Ensisheim, making it one of the oldest documented meteorite falls in recorded history.

At the time, many people believed rocks couldn't possibly fall from the sky. Yet thousands witnessed the event, helping make Ensisheim one of the most important meteorites in the history of science.

🪨 Fell to Earth: November 7, 1492
📍 Location: Ensisheim, France
⭐ Claim to fame: One of the oldest witnessed and documented meteorite falls

Come visit Enisheim, one of the most FAMOUS meteorites in history, right here at the Monnig!

Have you ever seen a meteor streak across the sky? Tell us about it in the comments! 👇

🚀 Fun Fact Friday! 🔴🌙

Did you know you can touch a real piece of Mars right here at the museum?

That's right—our Mars meteorite display lets you get closer to the Red Planet than most people ever will! 🤯

Want an even more unforgettable experience? Schedule a guided tour and you'll have the opportunity to hold actual pieces of Mars and the Moon in your hands. 🌎➡️🌙➡️🔴

These meteorites traveled millions of miles through space before landing on Earth, and now you can experience them up close.

Have you ever touched something from another world? Tell us in the comments! 👇

📍 Visit the Monnig Meteorite Collection @ TCU
🔗 Schedule a tour through the link in our bio.

We LOVED having our friends from Pegasus Landing visit the Monnig. Schedule your tour today!

Read all about Oscar Monnig in this month's Texas Highways magazine

How a Fort Worth Amateur Astronomer Built a Massive Meteorite Collection After identifying the RGV’s first known meteorite, Oscar Monning amassed one of the largest collections in the U.S.

We had so much fun yesterday at an Earth Day Celebration! TCU students, staff, and guests were able to hold asteroids, the moon, and Mars. Contact us if you would like the solar system to join your event. ☄️

The Monnig will be closed Saturday February 21st. We apologize for any inconvenience.

The Gallery is closed today for MLK Day.