2025 KGS open house: A celebration of earth science
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 20, 2025) — The Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS) at the University of Kentucky is hosting its 25th annual open house 6-7:30 Tuesday, Oct. 28, in and around the Mining and Mineral Resources Building on the UK campus, 310 Columbia Ave.
This long-standing tradition offers an engaging experience with the earth science and natural materials that shape the Commonwealth. In partnership with UK departments, student groups and external geoscience organizations, KGS will host a broad array of geoscience topics through hands-on activities and visual exhibits.
This year’s open house will include a volcano demonstration, where an outdoor eruption captures the drama of volcanic processes, and a stream table that shows sediment transport, erosion and deposition in action, both provided by the UK Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences.
The Kentucky Paleontological Society will display a variety of fossils from Kentucky and around the world. Visitors will also learn about the harms of radon from the UK College of Nursing and share the love of rocks, gems and minerals with the Blue Grass Gem & Mineral Club.
New this year, KGS is welcoming Enviropods, which is part of the NSF CLIMBS project. Enviropods conducts education and outreach programs and will be bringing virtual reality headsets for attendees to experience immersive geomorphology.
KGS will have other displays and demonstrations on topics ranging from natural hazards, such as landslides and earthquakes, to soil sediment coring. Because the event falls near Halloween, KGS will also host two themed costume contests during the open house: “Dress Like a Geologist” and “Dress Like Your Favorite Fossil.”
This event is free and open to the public. K-12 students, parents, teachers and those interested in geoscience are encouraged to attend.
Parking on campus for the open house is free. Attendees may park at the Parking Structure #2 (301 Hilltop Ave.), Boone Center lot (320 Columbia Ave.), Columbia Avenue West lot (420 Columbia Ave.) and Columbia Avenue East lot (440 Columbia Ave.).
Learn more about the event here.
KGS is a publicly supported research center that serves Kentucky by conducting research and providing unbiased information about geologic resources, environmental issues and natural hazards affecting Kentucky.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.