TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — In Tucson, the “gem show” can feel like its own season. From late January into mid-February, pop-up markets and mineral sales dot parking lots and hotel ballrooms across the city. But organizers say one event stands apart: the 71st annual Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, which officially opened Thursday at the Tucson Convention Center.
“This is the premier show,” said Jerry Glazman, a docent with the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show. “We blend both educational exhibits, vendors and special exhibits.”
While similarly named showcases take place throughout the city in the weeks leading up to the main event, the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show is the first and oldest of them, tracing its roots back more than seven decades.
A sharp crack echoed across the exhibition floor Thursday afternoon as a rock was split open during a demonstration, drawing a small crowd. Inside, rows of glass cases displayed minerals from around the world, alongside hands-on exhibits and vendors offering polished stones, fossils and jewelry.
This year’s theme is “Red, White and Blue,” honoring the nation’s upcoming 250th birthday. Exhibits co-chair Peter Megaw said the show features rare native silver specimens from Norway and what he called the first-ever exhibit of Lego mineral specimens.
Beyond the theme, Megaw said, the show’s appeal lies in its ever-changing nature.
“Everything just seems to keep getting better and better as the show rolls on,” he said. “It’s all what people bring to show us and show off to the world. This is a temporary mineral museum that exists for four days, and then vanishes, never to be seen again.”
The event draws visitors from around the globe. Chad Longie traveled from Olympia, Washington, after hearing it was the largest show of its kind.
“Heard it was the biggest one in the world, so we wanted to come take a look at everything,” Longie said.
The Tucson Gem and Mineral Show runs daily at the Tucson Convention Center through Sunday, Feb. 15. Admission is $15, or $14 plus a $1 Tucson Convention Center ticket tax. Children 14 and younger are admitted free with a paying adult.
Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, is Military (active and retired) and Senior Citizens Day. Those 62 and older and military members receive $2 off the regular ticket price.
Two-day tickets are available for $26.
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Eddie Celaya is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born in Tucson and raised in the Phoenix area, Eddie is a life-long Arizonan and graduate of the University of Arizona who loves the desert and mountains and hates the cold. Previously, Eddie worked in print media at the Arizona Daily Star. Share your story ideas with Eddie at edward.celaya@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook or Instagram.
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