WASHINGTON, D.C. (WATE) — Tennessee’s freshwater pearls are one of eight items representing the Volunteer State at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History new exhibition commemorating America’s 250th anniversary.
On Tuesday, the museum announced its “From These Lands: Sharing Our Natural and Cultural Heritage” exhibit, which features more than 600 rare objects and specimens from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the five U.S. territories. Among those items are fossils, tools, plants, and even taxidermied animals, such as a paddlefish from Missouri.
New upgrades finished at Norris Lake access point in Campbell County
Eight items that highlight unique natural, cultural, scientific, and historical contributions connected to Tennessee were selected, including the state’s gem: pearls.
“Many states have an official rock, gem or mineral, though the distinctions between them can be subtle. While gems are prized for their beauty, they are not always minerals—some are created by living organisms,” the Smithsonian said. “Freshwater pearls, Tennessee’s state gem, are made by mussels like Megalonaias nervosa.”
The pearls representing Tennessee were collected by the American Pearl Company in Nashville in 1994, the museum’s website explained…