What is the best way to contact Mini Museum?
Email is the best way to get in contact. Please use [email protected]
Emails sent to this address enter a ticket-tracking system which ensures that we will see your message. It also allows us to distribute the messages to multiple members of the Mini Museum team, which helps you get a faster response.
Last updated: September 24, 2019 13:14
TRIASSIC, JURASSIC, CRETACEOUS PRICING EXPLAINED
The titles (TRIASSIC, JURASSIC, CRETACEOUS) are just clever ways to name each pricing tier. They do NOT indicate the specimens in the collection. The Mini Museums at each tier contain the same specimens. You only need to pledge once.
Last updated: September 25, 2019 02:07
International Duties and Customs
The shipping price for the Mini Museum does not include duties or taxes.
Backers will be responsible for all duties and taxes imposed on the import of the Mini Museum. The Mini Museum is an educational display and will be classified as such on import documentation. Most countries do not impose a customs charge for this type of item but VAT is a reality. You should check with your country’s borders and customs office website to review VAT.
Please note: If you refuse customs/tax/VAT charges, your Mini Museum will be returned to us. We can reship if this happens, but we will need to charge for shipping again.
Last updated: September 25, 2019 02:07
Do you have an International distributor?
Not at this time. We know that VAT is a huge concern for many International backers. We continue to investigate different options, and so far every option we have encountered has resulted in a dramatic price increase for the Mini Museum. The $10 (USD) shipping for Age of Dinosaurs is currently our best option for sharing the cost of importing a Mini Museum, but we’re going to keep working on this!
Last updated: September 25, 2019 02:07
What are the dimensions of the Mini Museum?
The sized below are in INCHES:
Small (13-Specimens) 4 x 3 x 1 Large (32-Specimens) 5 x 4 x 1 Touch (35-Specimens) 14 1/2 x 8 x 1
Last updated: September 25, 2019 02:07
I want to give Age of Dinosaurs as a gift. Will you have printable gift cards again?
Yes!
Last updated: September 25, 2019 02:07
Is this MM5?
No. Age of Dinosaurs is a special edition of the Mini Museum. The Fifth Edition of the Mini Museum (aka MM5) is in development and will follow the format of the major editions which have preceded it. Don’t worry. We haven’t lost our funky soul. We just like dinosaurs!
Last updated: September 25, 2019 02:07
How long have you been working on Age of Dinosaurs?
Consistently for three years, though it is fair to say that the concept and early work for Age of Dinosaurs goes back decades.
Last updated: September 25, 2019 02:07
Will you create other focused collection like this in the future?
It’s quite possible!
Last updated: September 25, 2019 02:07
How long will a Mini Museum last?
An Acrylic Mini Museum, if properly cared for, should last for generations, but it is not indestructible. We take great pains to protect each Mini Museum, and though rare it is possible that it may arrive with a few micro abrasions. Most abrasions are simple to remove, but we always recommend taking your Mini Museum to a professional jewelry repair shop for buffing and polishing. It is also very important that you never use ammonia-based cleaning solutions on your Mini Museum. You should only use Acrylic polishes.
Last updated: September 25, 2019 02:07
Can I order more than one Mini Museum?
Early Bird pricing is limited to just one per backer, but you will have a chance to add additional regular price Mini Museums to your pledge during the post-campaign process.
Last updated: September 25, 2019 02:07
Add-Ons and the Post-Campaign Process
When the campaign is over, you will receive an invite to provide your shipping address. At this time, you will also be able to purchase additional add-ons such as Age of Dinosaurs T-Shirt and other items to be revealed. As with past campaigns, we will be using BackerKit to manage pledges.
Last updated: September 25, 2019 02:07
Shipping Methods and Rates
Methods:
To ensure that your Mini Museum arrives safely, all Mini Museums ship using trackable FedEx, USPS Priority Mail, or USPS First Class service. Every package we send is insured against loss and/or theft.
Rates:
No matter where you are in the WORLD, shipping for KICKSTARTER REWARDS will be $10! This price will only be available during the Kickstarter campaign and will only apply to the rewards you are backing during the campaign. If you add items after the campaign, there will be additional shipping charges based on weight.
Last updated: September 25, 2019 02:07
Do you ship to APO/FPO addresses?
Yes! We use the US Postal Service to ship to members of the US Military and are proud to do so.
Last updated: September 25, 2019 02:07
Is everything in the Mini Museum authentic? How did you obtain the specimens?
This is a great question, and one I would ask before purchasing myself.
First, specimens from the Mini Museum were acquired from a variety of sources. Most of the specimens in Age of Dinosaurs come directly from scientists or researchers in the field (ex. Raptor, Deccan Traps). Some specimens were acquired from professional meteorite hunters (K-Pg Boundary Material) or from those with mining rights in various regions of the world (ex. Gondwana, Laurasia). Other specimens I collected on my own (ex. Cretaceous Insect in Amber, Tethys Ocean). Some were also obtained from private land owners (ex. Great Dying, Pangaea). We also obtain materials from open and closed auctions, though nothing in Age of Dinosaurs was acquired in this manner.
It’s also important to note here that all of the fossil specimens in Age of Dinosaurs were recovered on private land and/or in accordance with mining and heritage preservation laws (in countries where such provisions apply). We’re very careful about this, which is is why it has taken decades to amass these items for sharing.
During my nearly four decades of collecting, I’ve done all that I can to ensure that each sample contained in the Mini Museum is authentic. However, it’s important to note that certificates of authenticity are not commonly available from all sources (such as scientists and land owners), but when they are available, I will absolutely share them.
I have also acquired many specimens that would be perfect for a Mini Museum, but will not include them because I am uncomfortable with their provenance. And no matter how much I might personally like these specimens for my own collection, I can’t rationalize selling them to others.
I am extremely confident, however, about the provenance for everything included in the Mini Museum. If you’re just learning about the Mini Museum, I would also encourage you to have a look at the projects for the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Edition. Dozens of detailed updates spanning the last few years provide a sense of the care with which we’ve approached Age of Dinosaurs.
Finally, I should say that every specimen that I’ve curated for the Mini Museum is authentic and was acquired ethically and legally. Each Mini Museum will come with a Certificate of Authenticity signed by me, Hans Fex.
Last updated: September 25, 2019 02:07
Is my backer number the same as the Mini Museum I will receive?
No, but it does indicate your place with your reward tier and the order in which we will ship. We hold certain numbers in reserve for outside supporters of Mini Museum as well as members of the team. We also set aside a small percentage of each production run as reserves in case there is an error that gets by our QA process or to deal with lost shipments. In total, this number amounts to less than 4% of each production run but the numbers come from up and down the chain.
Last updated: September 25, 2019 02:07
What is BackerKit?
BackerKit is a service that crowdfunded project creators use to keep track of hundreds to tens of thousands of backers—from shipping details, pledge levels, preferences and quantities, whether they have paid or had their card declined, special notes, and everything in between!
The BackerKit software and support team is independent from the campaign’s project team—BackerKit does not handle the actual reward shipping. For more information about the preparation or delivery status of your rewards, please check the project's updates page.
How does BackerKit work?
After the campaign ends, the project creator will send you an email with a unique link to your survey. You can check out a walkthrough of the process here.
I never received my invitation. How do I complete the survey?
The most common reasons for not receiving a survey email is that you may be checking an email inbox different from the email address you used to sign up with Kickstarter, Indiegogo or Tilt Pro account, or it may be caught in your spam filter.
Confirm that the email address you are searching matches the email address tied to your Kickstarter, Indiegogo, or Tilt Pro account. If that doesn’t work, then try checking your spam, junk or promotions folders. You can also search for "backerkit” in your inbox.
To resend the survey to yourself, visit the project page and input the email address associated with your Kickstarter, Indiegogo or Tilt Pro account.
How do I update my shipping address?
BackerKit allows you to update your shipping address until the shipping addresses are locked by the project creator. To update your address, go back to your BackerKit survey by inputting your email here.
When will my order be shipped, charged or locked?
That is handled directly by the project creator. BackerKit functions independently of the project itself, so we do not have control of their physical shipping timeline. If you want to check on the project’s status, we recommend reading over the project's updates page.
I completed the survey, but haven't received my rewards yet. When will they arrive?
As BackerKit does not actually handle any rewards or shipping, the best way to stay updated on the shipping timeline would be to check out the project's updates page.