The Natural History Museum of Utah is the Dino-centric Museum You Need to Visit!

One of the many awesome exhibits at the Natural History Museum of Utah!

On a recent trip to Utah, I had time to explore Salt Lake City for the day.  I knew it would be raining the day I visited, so I looked for a museum.  We chose the Natural History Museum of Utah (NHMU), and it was a fantastic display of all things dinosaur!

A very brief history of the museum

According to the NHMU website, the museum concept arose in 1959, by the faculty of the University of Utah.  They wanted to consolidate natural history collections from around its campus. In 1962 the Utah State Legislature, established the museum that opened in 1969.  Since 2011, the Rio Tinto Center has been home to the museum  that houses two million objects.

Where is it?  

Address:  Rio Tinto Center | University of Utah. 301 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84108

It’s about a 15-minute drive from downtown Salt Lake City or about a 20-minute drive from Salt Lake City International Airport.

There is free parking available at the museum, but there are steps and an uphill walk to get from the parking lot to the museum.  If a member of your group has mobility issues, you can always drop them off at the museum, then park.

When is it open and how do I get tickets?

Open: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week

Wednesday:  open until 9 p.m.

Tickets:  $24.95

You can buy your tickets in advance online, and the website shows you how many ticket are available for each timeslot.

The Museum

As I mentioned earlier, the NHMU is dino-centric, but it also focuses on culture and anthropology from Utah and the surrounding regions.  I’ve been to the American Museum of Natural History in New York, which is fabulous, but I felt like I was able to get closer to  the dinosaurs at the NHMU. 

The museum building itself is also quite interesting.  From the outside, the building blends in with the landscape. From the inside, you have beautiful views of Utah’s landscape.  

Outside the museum

View from inside the museum.

Why visit? 

The NHMU is really well thought out, both inside and outside. You don’t have to be a dinosaur fanatic to  appreciate the exhibits.  While I love a museum, I’m not necessarily dino crazy, but I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. So, when you’re in Salt Lake City give in to your inner dinosaur hunter and visit the Natural History Museum of Utah!

Panoramic view of one of the exhibits