Museums and private collectors alike come to Tucson to inspect the finest quality fossil specimens. You're unlikely to see an ammolite of this calibre anywhere except a museum. Photo courtesy The Black Hills Institute. Veterans of the citywide event know better than to try and see it all, concentrating their efforts on the shows of particular importance to them. Newcomers are prone to sensory overload, as they wear out their shoes and collapse each evening, grinning stupidly from ear to ear.
Rocks are big business.
The main honchos get together each year to meet, talk, do deals. That's basically what Tucson is all about. Over the years, every affiliated industry and entrepreneur has taken advantage of the global pow wow, and sets up shop to catch some of the action. The action is nonstop, from the best suites to the city's streets. If you're a professional at this, you can't not go to Tucson.