What it is

The Albuquerque Gem & Mineral Club (AGMC) is a membership rock, mineral and lapidary club in Albuquerque, New Mexico, founded in 1944 (its history page says the club marked its 20th anniversary in 1964). The home page says its primary purpose “is the exchange of information and the furtherance of knowledge of mineralogy, fossils, geology, and lapidary and to stimulate interest in the development of these studies.” It is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and runs a members’ lapidary studio where, in the club’s words, members can “hone their skills in creating cabochons for jewelry.” The About page says AGMC is under the Rocky Mountain Federation of Mineralogical Societies, which is part of the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies.

Who it’s for

Rockhounds, cabochon cutters, mineral and fossil collectors and families in the Albuquerque area who want supervised time on club lapidary machines, monthly guided field trips, a microminerals group and a Junior Club for kids.

Why it’s listed

It’s an established membership club with its own website (not Facebook-only). The site prints a meeting place and schedule, dues, the steps to get into the lapidary studio and the club’s annual show details. It is Lapidary Plaza’s first Albuquerque club. The Albuquerque teaching studio Meltdown Studio is listed separately as a workshop.

Official URL

https://agmc.info/

(All checked 2026-11-02 and returned HTTP 200 to curl with a Chrome user agent.)

Location

General meetings are held at Monte Vista Christian Church, 3501 Campus Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87106. Mailing address: Albuquerque Gem and Mineral Club, P.O. Box 13718, Albuquerque, NM 87192-3718. The club’s contact page uses web forms rather than a printed phone number or email.

The lapidary studio’s address is not printed on the public pages. The Lapidary Studio page says the equipment moved in 2023 from the New Mexico History Museum to a storage facility and then to “a new and larger storage unit,” and that the studio started operating there in early 2024.

This is a club. It is not a store or a commercial school.

Notes

Lapidary studio access (Lapidary Studio page and FAQ): members must complete the club’s online lapidary course before they can reserve a spot on the lapidary calendar. The FAQ adds that members should also confer with the lapidary chair. A steward must be on site for every session; the page says the club has five active stewards who open the studio and help beginners through advanced users.
Who the studio is for (Lapidary Studio page): members “who have never done any kind of lapidary work,” those returning after years away, and those with machines at home who want to work with other members.
Membership (FAQ): $30 a year covers two adults and all minor children living in the home. It drops to $15 for the second half of the year (after June 30). Memberships run by calendar year and expire December 31. You can join online (PayPal or card) or in person at a meeting with cash or check.
Meetings (Meetings page and FAQ): general meetings start at 7:30 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of the month, with a short business meeting before the program at about 8:00 p.m. There is no general meeting in December, and in November the meeting moves to the third Thursday. The next meeting listed on the check date was November 19, 2026. The Junior Club meets at 6:30 p.m. the same night, and the microminerals group meets on the third Tuesday. Visitors are welcome at general meetings.
Field trips (home page and FAQ): monthly guided field trips in New Mexico and nearby states. Only current members can attend.
Show (Treasures of the Earth page): the annual Treasures of the Earth gem and mineral show is held the third weekend in March at Expo New Mexico (Creative Arts Center, Gate 3 at San Pedro and Copper St.), 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Admission is $5.00 ($2 on Friday), and children 12 and under are free. The club calls it its chief fundraiser.
Small source note: the Meetings page lists the November 19, 2026 meeting as running 6:30–9:00 p.m., which covers the 6:30 p.m. Junior Club meeting plus the 7:30 p.m. general meeting.
Not affiliated with Lapidary Plaza. No email, phone call or form was used.

FAQ

Q: Does the Albuquerque Gem & Mineral Club have a lapidary shop?
A: Yes. Members can use the club’s lapidary studio to cut and polish cabochons after completing the club’s online lapidary course. Sessions are booked on the lapidary calendar, and a steward must be present.

Q: How much is membership?
A: $30 a year for two adults and all minor children in the same home, or $15 if you join after June 30. Memberships expire December 31.

Q: When and where does AGMC meet?
A: At Monte Vista Christian Church, 3501 Campus Blvd NE, Albuquerque, at 7:30 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of most months. November’s meeting is on the third Thursday (November 19, 2026), and there is no December general meeting.

Q: Can visitors come to a meeting?
A: Yes. The Meetings page says visitors are always welcome at general meetings. Field trips are for current members only.

Q: When is the club’s show?
A: Treasures of the Earth runs the third weekend in March at Expo New Mexico, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Friday to Sunday. Admission is $5 ($2 on Friday), and children 12 and under get in free.