All,
I recently received some exciting news that I wanted to share with you. The
local university here in Little Rock, AR will be celebrating their centennial
anniversary in 2027, with a major part of this milestone being the opening of
the UA Little Rock Museum of Natural History. The display will naturally
consist of fossils, biological specimens, mineral and rocks, but most
importantly to many of us, ….METEORITES! Below is a brief summary of how this
came about.
More than 30 years ago, my meteorite hunting partner Jerry Hinkle and I made a
donation of more than 100 kg of meteorites that we had found at various sites
around the world to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR), a medium
to large sized institution, here in Little Rock. We made the donation with the
agreed on plan being to establish a permanent meteorite display there on campus
that would be open to everyone. After the donation, I worked with the
university by reaching out to some very well-known collectors and dealers,
asking if they would be interested in making trades for some of our duplicate
specimens in order to increase the diversification of the university’s
collection. I was thrilled by the response, and quite humbled by the generosity
of one gentleman in particular. The collection now has a number of whole and
sliced specimens from 20 different locations all around the world, representing
all three of the major classifications, as well as a number of tektites. Some
of the highlights of the collection include a superb, beautifully regmaglypted
50-pound Sikhote-Alin, several other nice-sized irons, a number of whole
Allendes, and the current main mass of the Delaware, AR meteorite that I also
helped the university obtain.
The meteorite collection was put on display on campus for a while, but
unfortunately, monetary constraints precluded the establishment of a permanent
museum. At one point, the meteorite display was moved to the Aerospace
Education Center here in LR. Sadly, that center would eventually lose a major
contributor’s support and ended up being closed, so the meteorites were
transferred back to UALR. From that point on, most were put into storage;
except for a small number of specimens used continuously for the astronomy
class students to work with, or for occasional field trip presentations at
local schools. Although I am pleased to know the meteorites were at least being
used in those two ways, that obviously fell short of what I or the university
had originally envisioned for the meteorite collection. Fortunately, the
situation has now greatly improved!
I was recently contacted by UALR’s Director of Development and External
Affairs, Lloyd Webre, and various members of his team, who shared the exciting
plans for the upcoming opening of the natural history museum, a fruition of my
decades-long dream. Although the university is providing most of the funding
for the project, some additional contributions are still needed. Mr. Webre,
asked me if I would make my fellow meteorite enthusiasts aware of the museum’s
need of more funding (and/or meteorite specimens) in case any of you would feel
this is a worthy project that you might wish to help with.
If any of you, or anyone else you might know, are needing a last minute
tax-deductible-donation to UALR, a registered 501©(3) nonprofit organization,
for this year or in the near future for 2026, etc., or if you simply feel that
the museum is something you would like to support as an educational resource
for future students and the general public at large thru donating either
monetary funds to finish construction of the project, or meteorite specimens to
expand the collection, the university would be most appreciative, as Lloyd
states in his words below:
We are excited to announce the upcoming UA Little Rock Museum of Natural
History, scheduled to open in 2027 as part of the university's centennial
celebration. This museum will serve as a vital educational resource for our
students, the campus community, and the broader Little Rock region, providing
hands-on learning opportunities and fostering a deeper understanding of the
natural world.
We are currently seeking support from donors who share our vision for this
transformative project. Both monetary contributions and specimen donations are
welcomed and will play a crucial role in building our collections and ensuring
the museum's success. Your support will help us create a lasting legacy that
inspires curiosity and scientific discovery for generations to come. If you
would like to learn more about how you can contribute to this exciting
initiative, please call Lloyd Webre, director of development at 501.951.1794 or
email [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>.
Thanks to all for your time in reading this, and for any possible donation(s)
that any of you might consider making.
In closing, if some of you find yourselves near Little Rock at some point in
2027 or later, the university and I extend an early invitation to visit the
campus and see the museum!
Sincerely,
Robert Woolard
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