The Utah Museum of Natural History is one of the scientific and educational complexes located in the city of Salt Lake. The collection consists of more than 1.5 million items. Among the exhibits are dinosaur skeletons that archaeologists have found in the state.
History of creation
The idea to register the institution appeared in 1959, when the University of Utah faculty came to a consensus on combining natural history collections from around the campus. The task was to open a museum where citizens and tourists could get acquainted with the natural history of Utah and learn how the state developed.
So, in 1963, the Utah Museum of Natural History was founded, but it began to receive visitors only in 1969. At first, the exhibitions were held on the grounds of the former George Thomas Library. The collection was replenished, it included exhibits from other museums.
In 2011, the Utah Museum of Natural History moved into a new building, the Rio Tinto Center, designed by New York-based Ennead Architects and GSBS of Salt Lake City. He still works in this 1.51-hectare building, which is located on a 6.9-hectare campus.
Short description
The museum's collection includes more than 1.6 million objects that tell about the natural history not only of the region, but also of the whole world. The Utah Museum of Natural History features 750,000 items from the archaeological collection, 123,000 exhibits from the botanical section, and more than 3,500 minerals. Dinosaur skeletons discovered during excavations in Utah attract special attention.
Permanent exhibitions:
- In the upper part of the Utah Museum of Natural History, the exhibition "Indigenous Peoples" is taking place, where you can get acquainted with the traditions of the peoples, find out how they lived, what they believed in, what difficulties they had, what united them.
- The "First Nations" describe their history from an archaeological point of view. It demonstrates how the past can be studied using scientific methods.
- "Worlds of the Past" allows you to go on a journey and see how Utah looked during different times, including hundreds of millions of years ago. The guests of the institution will learn how life forms have changed on earth, where the state is located.
- "Earth" shows the development of 3 physical and geographical regions that formed millions of years ago. It shows the Middle Rocky Ridge of Utah, the Ridge and the Basin.
- "Great Salt Lake" describes the history of the reservoir formed from the remnants of Lake Bonneville, which appeared 32 thousand years ago. With the help of sounds and interactive elements, it feels like a real lake.
- The "Life" exhibition includes exhibits on complex systems, ranging from DNA to ecosystems. You can see the biological diversity of the state.
- "Gems and Minerals" shows raw minerals and faceted stones. Glowing minerals attract special attention.
- "Our Backyard" is a special exhibition for children, in which young visitors will get acquainted with the world of research. It helps to instill a love of science from an early age.
- The "Atmosphere of Hope" shows how the climate in the state has changed. The emphasis here is on the fact that it is possible to create conditions under which nature and people will flourish.
- "The Future of Utah" is designed as a multiplayer game, during which you can immerse yourself in the atmosphere of a sustainable future of Utah.
How to get
You can take the TRAX light rail and follow the route to the University Medical Center station. It is not uncommon to arrive at the Utah Museum of Natural History by car, and you can park your car in the museum's parking lot. A taxi ride is considered as an alternative.
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