Gitche Gumee Agate and History Museum

Well, the Gitche Gumee Museum has had quite a run. As I previously reported, last year I decided to permanently close the museum after 24 years and start the new Agatelady Rock Shop, which opens for regular hours on June 1, 2023. Thanks to everyone who contributed to the success of the Gitche Gumee!

This will be the last update for this webpage. I will leave this page online to preserve access to the archive of information including agate basics, current Grand Marais scenes, mineral of the month, customer agate finds, history’s gem of the month, rockhounding and adventure trips, and more. Other content will be removed to reflect the museum’s closing such as information about museum services, online gift shop, and Gitche Gumee gatherings.

For the Agatelady Rock Shop, a new webpage has been created: www.agateladyrockshop.com. The new rock shop will have the same semi-retirement hours that the museum has had for the last two years: June, July, and August; Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays; 2:00-5:00 pm. Just as has been true during the past two years, groups can set up private appointments for other days/times at the new rock shop. To facilitate making appointments, the new website has a calendar function that allows people to set up appointments online. On the home page of the new website, scroll down to find the two options for private appointments. All private appointments have a minimum purchase requirement per group to “bribe me to come out of semi-retirement.” Private appointments can be set up beginning the third week of May through the end of October (note: not all dates and times are available). If you do not want to book an appointment online, you can also email me at karen@agateladyrockshop.com or call me at either 906-494-2590 (rock shop landline) or 906-450-5033 (cell). Due to my other responsibilities, impromptu last-minute appointments are discouraged.

In addition to booking private appointments on the new website, you can also reserve seats at lectures that will be held each Friday evening during the summer season at 6:00 pm. The weekly lecture will be Understanding and Finding Agates and will only accommodate 20 people per lecture ($20 each). Those paying for lecture seats will have access to purchasing items in the rock shop after the lecture. Attendees are invited to bring three specimens each for me to look at and identify. Groups can also book a custom lecture for other days/times including the regular Friday speech or one of several other lectures listed on the new website.

Karen Brzys’s books can be purchased on the new website karen@agateladyrockshop.com: scroll down to the bottom of the HOME page to see the list of books. The website also has other information about the new rock shop and includes photos documenting the renovation of the building that houses the new rock shop (located two miles away from the museum). A map and directions to the Agatelady Rock Shop will be posted on the new website in May.

Happy rockhounding!

Karen Brzys
Gitche Gumee Museum
(Closed on August 31, 2022. The new Agatelady Rock Shop opens in 2023)

Location:
E21739 Brazel Street, PO Box 308
Grand Marais, MI 49839

Emails:
kbrzys@Jamadots.com or Karen@agatelady.com, or Karen@agateladyrockshop.com

PERSONAL FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/karen.brzys

MUSEUM FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gitche-Gumee-Agate-and-History-Museum.
NOTE: This business page will either be deleted or the name will be changed to Agatelady-Rock-Shop.

New Agatelady Rock Shop website: www.agateladyrockshop.com
906-494-2590 Home and Agatelady Rock Shop (Main number: please call first)
906-450-5033 (Cell phone)

Gitche Gumee Museum Hours

The museum was permanently closed at the end of August 2022. The new Agatelady Rock Shop opens in a new facility located two miles from the museum in the Spring of 2023. For more information, please go to www.agateladyrockshop.com.