From a report submiited by Claudia Samanta Aravena González, University of Chile
The Meteorites & Dinosaurs Chile project was carried out between September 2025 and June 2026 at the Museo del Cazameteoritos Cherufe, located within Big Bang Park in La Serena, a region renowned for its astronomical tourism. The Society's funds were allocated to three main areas: (1) scientific lectures and workshops in January, (2) digital infrastructure for collection digitisation, and (3) educational materials and outreach. Scientific Lectures (4 live-streamed events):
- Juan Francisco Palma Urquieta Title: "Pilauco Bajo: A Meeting Site Between History and the Universe"
- Claudia Aravena González Title: "The Origin of Meteorites" + hands-on workshop for children ages 6+
- Dr. Grace Ángela Batalla Falcón Title: "Asteroids and Meteorites: What They Are and Where to Find Them"
- Jorge Monsalve Title: "Atacama Meteorites" + hands-on identification workshop with real samples
All lectures were live-streamed. The sessions included Q&A segments, allowing remote participation from across the Coquimbo Region and beyond.
Children's Workshop: A hands-on meteorite identification workshop was delivered as a game using printed material of the inner Solar System. Through clues, children identified possible origins of meteorites — lunar, martian, asteroid belt, among others — showcasing the variety of rocky impacts Earth can receive. Participants also learned diagnostic techniques (magnetism, fusion crust identification, density) using reference specimens from the museum's collection. Take-home bilingual identification guides were distributed.
Collection Digitisation: A dedicated ASUS Victus workstation was acquired to begin digitising the museum's meteorite collection. A digital catalogue was created, including professional photographs (Cristian Riffo Photographer) and basic metadata for each specimen. A project website was also launched to provide public access to museum information.
Educational Materials: Flyers, workshop kits, magnifying glasses, infographics, and children's booklets were produced. A coffee break provided networking opportunities for participants and speakers.