Welcome to the world-renowned Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum!
Fluorite with Calcite. 4.2 cm. Attributed to Bethel level, Ozark-Mahoning Company, Cave-in-Rock Subdistrict. Jeff Scovil photo. RCL3065.
NOTE: We currently do not host digs. We are looking into opportunities so stay tuned. There are wonderful Facebook groups, such as, Geology Nerds of Western Kentucky that organize outings and day trips!
The Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum is a one-of-a-kind showcase of the extensive collection of mining giant Ben E. Clement.
This distinctive collection is decades’ worth of work, curated over 60 plus years and features remarkable mineral specimens you won’t find anywhere else in the world!
A Mineral Enthusiast's Dream
Our museum is home to one of the largest collections of fluorite specimens on display in the United States, with thousands of samples ranging in weight from just a fraction of an ounce to hundreds of pounds! These unique specimens are exhibited in vivid displays of shape and color throughout the museum. As the saying goes, you simply have to see it to believe it.
“In the thousands of fluorite specimens, accessory minerals, photographs, letters, records and other memorabilia we have today, [this is] the finest legacy of physical evidence which connects us to this little known segment of American mineral history.”
– Jay Lininger,
Founder, Editor & Publisher of Matrix: A Journal of the History of Minerals
The Mineral Collection
The Ben E. Clement Mineral Collection is the main attraction here at the museum. Thousands of the specimens on display come straight from the mines of the Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District, with other specimens coming from around the globe. In all, Clement’s mineral collection is the largest display of minerals in the United States! Visitors can marvel at the stunning array of the planet’s more beautiful and unique crystalline formations.
The Equipment Collection
The Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum also houses a diversified accumulation of historic mining equipment, chronicling decades of invention, development and ingenuity. You’ll also find a miscellanea of hand-crafted tools for specific mining needs made by local craftsmen and onsite blacksmiths, while catching a glimpse into the lives of the men who labored in these mines nearly a hundred years ago. Memorializing these men, Ben E. Clement frequently referenced them as, “a class of human beings second-to-none, the likes of which should be in Washington in the halls of Congress.”
The Document Collection
In the museum you’ll also find a meticulous assemblage of historical documentation related to the mining industry, including blueprints, maps, contracts, written opinions, abstracts, books, articles, legers, essays, leases, to name a few.
The Photography Collection
A lesser-known point of interest at the Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum is the substantial collection of photographs that provide a clear picture (pun intended) of mining operations throughout history. Hundreds of captivating images offering a window into the mining world, showcasing everything from the architecture of mining structures to work sites and daily life, both on and off the job. These photographs yield a fascinating glimpse into what life was like in pre-modern times, capturing the essence of a bygone era.
