Visitors of all interests find joy when they visit the Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum. With its rich, detailed history of mining, the museum will appeal to history buffs. With the many unique and incredible specimens, the fluorspar collection is awe-inspiring to rock hounds, fossil hunters and crystal seekers.
Fans of roadside attractions, you’ll find the world’s largest collection of fluorspar samples, most of which have been sourced from this mineral-rich region. And kids of ALL ages and interests will find our collection of beautiful specimens, interesting artifacts and fossils to be full of wonder and curiosity!
There is simply no other place quite like it. The Ben E. Clement Museum was born from one man’s passion and has been carried on by the Clement family ever since. The story of Ben E. Clement is just as incredible as the collections he so meticulously crafted throughout his life.
History Buffs
If you like history, the Ben E. Clement Museum is bursting at the seams with it! Inside these walls, you’ll find an assortment of historical collections: there’s a mining equipment collection, a historical document collection, a photograph collection, and of course, an incredible collection of minerals, fossils and more!
Rock Hounds & Fossil Hunters
For curious collectors, amateur geologists (and professionals!), fossil hunters and anyone else that appreciates the beauty and mystery of what lies beneath our feet, the Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum houses the LARGEST collection of fluorspar in the world! But not just beautiful fluorite specimens, there are also hundreds of fossils, gemstones, and petrified wood samples, among other articles of interest.
Fans of Roadside America, Offbeat Sights & Things Uniquely Odd
The Museum is an incredibly unique and wonderful place perfect for a pit stop on your travels or as a destination all its own. Nestled among the rolling hills of Crittenden County, we’re located just a little ways off the Ohio River and many other notable destinations, like the Cave-In-Rock river ferry, the Mortons Gap Muffler Man and the German POW Murals of Camp Breckenridge, just to name a few!
Kids of all ages and interests will find plenty to love about the Mineral Museum, notably the unparalleled collection of mineral specimens on display. The many dazzling shapes and colors alone are a sight to behold on their own, and the stories of how they came to be only add to the wide-eyed wonder that will come over them as they take the tour. (And Minecraft fans will certainly appreciate the connection to mining, the types of minerals that can be found and the recognizable shape in which they naturally form!)
Everyone, Really
There is so much to love and appreciate about the Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum, there is some aspect sure to spark interest with any potential visitor. To think that this collection is a labor of love, carefully curated by one important figure in so many aspects of western Kentucky history might be enough for any one individual to appreciate. When you actually see it and experience these collections first-hand, the history and wonder put forth are like no collection you’ve ever seen!