Michael and Barbra Sincak Natural History Collection
Mercyhurst College is fortunate to house the Michael and Barbra Sincak Natural History Collection, the life time accumulation of geologist Michael Sincak, and his wife and business partner Barbra. The Sincaks have traveled the world in search of the finest specimens and have made exacting casts of famous one-of-a-kind fossils from the classic museums of Europe, Asia, and the United States.
The collection includes a vibrant display of fluorescent minerals, modern and extinct animal endocasts, natural crystals, native handicrafts from exotic locations, and many other treasures. Mercyhurst is proud to exhibit:
- Life-size Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops skull casts
- A two ton petrified tree trunk from Indonesia
- A 4.5 billion year old meteorite from South America
- A five foot tall amethyst geode and many other objects
To date, over ten thousand people have seen the collection during annual exhibits. The Michael and Barbra Sincak Collection is a unique legacy that commemorates their life work and provides an awe inspiring educational resource for our students and the public.
Many of the donated specimens are not yet on display because of space limitations. The college is actively seeking the right donor or donors to build and name an atrium addition to the Zurn Science Center to house and display this and other collections as a permanent museum open to the public.
For more information about the Michael and Barbra Sincak Natural History Collection, contact: Scott McKenzie, Curator.
Take a virtual walk through our first exhibit of the Michael and Barbra Sincak Natural History Collection then continue on to explore our online Photographic Inventory or check out some of the local media video clips pertaining to other exhibits.