This museum on the campus of the University of Utah is home to more than 1.5 million artifacts that delve into the state’s rich history. From the American Indians who inhabited this land for centuries before any European explorer to the unique and fascinating geological features found in the area, the Natural History Museum of Utah helps contextualize it all. The museum was founded in 1969 and in 2011 was relocated to the Rio Tinto Center, a stunning new five-story building sheathed in locally mined copper. Permanent collections and visiting exhibits grace the halls, and there is a number of interactive activities. The museum is also home to various active research projects that fulfill its mission statement to “illuminate the natural world and the place of humans within it.”
Dana Sohm/Natural History Museum of Utah
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The Modern Historical Museum on a Mountainside
This place has fantastic exhibitions about first peoples, the unique geography of the Great Salt Lake, and even dinosaurs. Perfect for history geeks and dinosaur lovers (I’m both). They also have sweet family activities, like sleepovers and movie nights. The museum is open from 10am to 5pm most days, but stays open until 9pm on Wednesdays.
