Exploring Life & Business with Alan Brown of Earth Experience

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alan Brown

Hi Alan, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I have always loved museums especially Natural History Museums but never thought I would end up starting one. I also did not start out in college thinking I would be a Geologist and Paleontologist. It was my first class in Geology that ignited my love of Geology and Paleontology. After getting my Master’s degree I worked as an environmental consultant for 7 years. Then, in 2005, I was hired as an instructor at Middle Tennessee State University. Once I started at MTSU my interest in Paleontology was rekindled. In the summer of 2009, I was invited to go on a dinosaur dig in Montana and I have returned to Montana to dig up dinosaurs every summer since. I always wondered why there was no natural history museum in the Nashville area so in 2012 I got together with a small group and we decided to start our own museum. This museum is Earth Experience the Middle Tennessee Museum of Natural History in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, which opened in 2014.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has been much more difficult than I imagined it would be. We struggled for over a year to find a location to open the museum. Finally we found space in a warehouse in the industrial part of Murfreesboro. Then my co founder Lewis Elrod passed away leaving me to run everything. The museum collection grew quickly and we are in need of more space but have had no luck getting funding to afford a bigger space. It has also been slow getting the word out about the museum because we do not have much money for advertising.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Earth Experience?
Earth Experience is the only natural history museum in middle Tennessee and the only museum in the state to display real dinosaur bones from dinosaurs like T-rex and Triceratops. It has a cast of a full T-rex skeleton. The museum features fossils from all over the world and a large collection of Tennessee fossils. There is also a large mineral display, archaeology room and modern animal room. There is a working paleontology lab where visitors can watch dinosaur bones and other fossils being cleaned and repaired.

Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I would say I am not a big risk taker. I prefer to study and take my time and analyze problems and find the best solution. Starting the museum was the biggest risk I have ever taken and we did not open the museum until we knew we had enough resources to keep it open at least a year.

Pricing:

• Adult admission $10
• Children ages 12 and up $10
• Children ages 4 to 11 $8
• Children 3 and under Free

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.earthexperience.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earthexperiencemuseum/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MidTnMuseum