As the foremost public educational institution in Los Angeles, UCLA has a prominent role to play in scientific outreach. For this reason we are constructing a major meteorite exhibit, located in room 3697 of the Geology Building.

Our philosophy is to educate the public about some of the main research themes of present-day meteorite research. Each cabinet in our display discusses a theme ranging from the basic (classification of meteorites) to the more complicated (e.g., impact effects recorded in meteorites, and the nature and origin of chondrules). We also plan to have cabinets that discuss impact effects on the Earth (including displays of the enigmatic tektites) and the connections between modern-day exploration of the planetary system and the "ground truth" available to us from meteorites.

Some of these and other thematic essays will be available on this web site.

In addition to the meteorite exhibit, there will be monitors in nearby hallways that will show video displays about topical planetary missions, telescopic studies of comets, and astrophysical phenomena.

One Saturday afternoon each November three UCLA departments, Earth and Space Sciences, Physics and Astronomy, and Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, host an annual outreach program called Exploring Your Universe. The meteorite museum is one of the focal points in these events.