Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History; Jay J. Ague Curator of Mineralogy



Ague is lead curator for a new permanent exhibition called the Hall of Earth, Minerals, and Space (HoMES) to be installed in the Peabody Museum. HoMES is designed to foster an appreciation for the wonders of our planet and, at the same time, illustrate how our survival is inextricably linked to global interactions between the solid Earth, its oceans, and its atmosphere. The exhibition draws upon the vast collections of the Peabody Museum as well as the latest scientific research to unlock the mysteries of the rock record. HoMES begins with the formation of the solar system and Earth, featuring rarely seen meteorites from the collection. Visitors are then introduced to processes that shape the Earth, including earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, as well as global changes in the continents, oceans, and atmosphere throughout geologic time. Connecticut preserves a rich geological history, studied first by Professor Benjamin Silliman at Yale in the early 19th century, and thus Connecticut is highlighted here as a natural laboratory for Earth Science. The final section of the exhibition focuses on minerals, gems, and their societal impacts. It showcases the unparalleled mineral specimens from the collection, many of which have not been on display for decades. Short books and accompanying multi-media packages based on HoMES are envisioned for the Museum’s younger visitors that will highlight cutting-edge developments in our understanding of the Solar System, Earth science, mineralogy and, because of its regional appeal, the geology of Connecticut. The ultimate goals are to capture the imaginations of Peabody’s visitors, including those of budding young scientists, and nurture their interests by bringing together the HoMES exhibition and ongoing educational programs at the Museum.

Phase I of HoMES opened in Spring 2006, and the entire exhibition is scheduled for completion in November, 2008. For more information about the exhibition, follow this link to the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History.

Other Exhibits at the Peabody

“Digging for Meaning: Rocks, Minerals, Gems, and the Yale Seal”. This Curator’s Choice exhibit explores the origins of the Hebrew text on the Yale seal. This text is directly related to rocks, minerals, and gems dating back to the biblical time of Moses. Rarely seen specimens from the mineralogy collection were displayed, along with captions which address such scientific topics as how minerals differ from rocks, and mineral color. The exhibit opened in Fall, 2002 and ran through Fall, 2003. It was also featured in the Yale Alumni magazine in 2003.

Curator for exhibit on the coastal environment of Connecticut which traveled to the Natural History Museum of Crete in 2006 as part of the Peabody Museum-Natural History Museum of Crete collaboration funded by the Niarchos Foundation.

Synergistic Activities

Public Education and the Media

Research featured in magazines and newspapers including: The Hartford Courant, New Haven Register, Los Angeles Times, Sacramento Bee, Chemical and Engineering News, Geotimes, New Scientist, Science News, Yale Science News Tips, Yale Alumni Magazine, Yale Daily News, Yale Bulletin and Calendar, “Research Highlights” section of the NSF EAR Division web site.

Distinguished Panelist, Conference on "Crossing the Frontier, Photographs of the Developing West, 1849 to the present": Yale University Art Gallery, 19 Apr 97.

O.C. Marsh Lecture Series, Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History; "Mountains and Minerals of the Earth''. 2 Feb 00.

Public lecture on the geological history of the Stony Creek granite, Willoughby-Wallace library, Stony Creek, Connecticut. 10 Sep 00. This lecture was filmed and featured numerous times on public access television in fall 2000 and winter 2001.

Public lecture on the geological history of Connecticut and the Stony Creek granite, Blackstone library, Brandford, Connecticut. 22 Feb 01.

O.C. Marsh Lecture Series, Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History; "Minerals: From Raw Materials to Masterpiece''. 4 Apr 01.

"Flesh and Stone - A walking tour of Architectural Geology"; Tour of geological highlights of the Yale Campus for members of the Peabody Museum and the general public. 5 May 01.

Lecture for Peabody Museum Volunteer Enrichment Program, “Mountains and Minerals of the Earth”. 9 Oct 01.

Panel member for discussion of the BBC/Discovery channel production of Doyles’s “The Lost World”, Peabody Museum. 30 Sep 02.

Lecture for Peabody Museum Volunteer Enrichment Program, “Digging for meaning: Rocks, gems, and the Yale seal”. 4 Feb 03.

Leader of AYA Assembly (Yale Alumni) tours of Mineralogy collection, Peabody Museum. 20 Nov 03.

Faculty leader for Niarchos Summer study program, part of the Peabody Museum-Natural History Museum of Crete collaboration, 13-18 Jun 04. See feature in the Yale Environmental News, 2004, v. 10, p. 13.

Field trip leader for geologic walk around the Stony Creek area, sponsored by the Guilford Land Conservation Trust Spring Walks program, 30 Apr 05.

Scientific consultant for the Project 2K artistic multimedia presentation at the Stony Creek quarry, Branford, CT, May-Jun 05.

Leader of field trip dealing with the geology of the building stones of Yale, New Haven Festival of Arts and Ideas, 12 Jun 05.

O.C. Marsh Lecture Series, Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History; "The Origins of Gems and Precious Metals''. 27 Apr 06.

Invited lecture for Weir Preserve Celebration; “600 Million Years of Geologic History Preserved in the Connecticut Landscape” (Weir Farm Historic Site, National Park Service). 13 May 06, Ridgefield, Connecticut.

Lecture with Benjamin Zucker on the Gems of Yale for Parent’s weekend, 20 Oct 06.

Lecturer and field trip leader, 'Two sides of a trap rock ridge', Natural Resource Council of Connecticut, North Branford, CT. 31 May 07.

Leader of field trip dealing with the geology of the building stones of Yale, New Haven Festival of Arts and Ideas, 9 Jun 07.

Scientific consultant for “Terra Firma” summer education program for 3-5 graders, Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, 2006 and 2007.

Invited lecture on the geology of the Branford, Connecticut area for the Branford Land Trust and the Friends of the Farm River Estuary, 11 Mar 08.

Public lectures for New Haven Mineral Club (CT), Meriden Mineral Club (CT), and Stamford Mineral Club (CT).

Several lectures on rocks and minerals at local elementary schools.