EUGENE–If you’re in the mood to make your own volcano, the University of Oregon Museum of Natural History is the place for you on Saturday, Oct. 7.

From noon to 3 p.m., the museum will sponsor "Earthshaking Events," a family celebration of Oregon geology, with the help of Lord Leebrick Theatre actors, Eugene "fossil man" Chris Evans, mineral expert Jim "The Rocky Feller" Nelson, and geology experts from the university and the community.

The event will be held in the courtyard, lobby and exhibit hall of the museum, 1680 E. 15th Ave. behind the Knight Law Center on the UO campus. Cost is $2 per person or $5 per family, and free parking is available in front of the museum with a permit from the front desk.

In addition to the volcano project (with dramatic effects from supplies that can be found in the average kitchen), visitors of all ages will be entertained by "Rock Cycle Theater," a participatory performance of the life of rocks presented by actors from Eugene’s Lord Leebrick Theatre and leaders from Nearby Nature, a local nature education group. Two performances are scheduled for 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.

Other highlights include mineral and rock identification, a presentation on fossils, soapstone jewelry-making based on archaeological replicas, a rock hunt for younger children, a flood simulation model, seismograph readings, and geological tours of the Earth history walkway at the museum.

The celebration is part of the Saturday Safari series of family events connected to the museum’s featured exhibits. This fall, the exhibit, "Lay of the Land," showcases Oregon landscape photography by geologist Ewart Baldwin. Baldwin carried a camera with him during his 50 years in the field, capturing the terrifying geological forces that underlie the state’s breathtaking scenery.

"We’re trying to connect human habitation to the geology of Oregon, the lay of the land." said Patricia Krier, museum program director. "These activities are fun, and a great way for kids and adults to learn about Oregon’s deep human history and how closely it was connected to our incredibly dramatic geology."

Chris Evans, a teacher at Howard Elementary School who is also known as "fossil man" for the 30-pound dinosaur bone he uses to spark his student’s curiosity, will speak at 1:30 p.m.

Rock-store owner Nelson and Don Lown, a naturalist and retired teacher, will identify rocks and minerals brought by visitors from noon to 3 p.m.

The Museum Store will be open during the celebration and afterwards until 5 p.m. The store features geology books, rocks, jewelry and other natural history books and gifts.

Museum of Natural History exhibits and the museum store are open from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday on the UO campus near the corner of East 15th and Agate. Regular admission is by $2 donation, with UO students and museum members admitted free.

For information about the Oct. 7 Saturday Safari family event or the related exhibit, visit <http://natural-history.uoregon.edu/> on the web, call (541) 346-3024, or send e-mail to <mnh@oregon.uoregon.edu>. For a 24-hours-a-day taped message about museum exhibits and activities, call GuardLine from a Touch-Tone phone, 485-2000, ext. 3447.

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