natural history museum of utah tours

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How to Maximize an Afternoon at the Natural History Museum of Utah

Written By Matcha

“Let’s start at the top and work our way down,” I say. My mom and I are standing in the Canyon, Natural History Museum of Utah’s grand open atrium, located on its second floor.

We skip the Museum Café, Store, and Utah Futures exhibits — for now — and take the elevator up to the fifth floor Rooftop Terrace and Native Voices exhibits. This quiet level offers panoramic views of the Salt Lake Valley and is the perfect place to start your afternoon at the Natural History Museum of Utah.

Location, Location, Location

Staring out from this outdoor deck, you can see much of the city, but little of the impressive building the Natural History Museum of Utah is housed in — the Rio Tinto Center. Spanning five floors and tucked along the foothills of Salt Lake City 's Wasatch Mountains, the museum is adjacent to Red Butte Garden , the Intermountain West’s largest botanical garden and part of the University of Utah campus.

The Rio Tinto Center’s building was uniquely constructed with 42,000 square feet of shining copper mined from local Kennecott Utah Copper’s Bingham Canyon Mine. Its brilliant edifice is designed to mimic Utah’s famous layered rocks and has made the center a striking sight since its 2011 opening.

The Natural History Museum of Utah is housed in the Rio Tinto Center, which was uniquely constructed with 42,000 square feet of shining copper mined locally.

Photo: Jo Savage Photography

"I could spend hours walking along the elevated ramp that showcases dozens of reconstructed dinosaur skeletons and real fossils."

The architectural design of the Natural History Museum of Utah is a marvel in and of itself.

Photo: Michael Kunde/Visit Salt Lake

Native Voices: Utah’s Tribes

Back inside, we learn about the traditions of Utah’s eight federally recognized Indian tribes in the Native Voices area through audio and artifacts before continuing downstairs to the Life exhibit. Local tribes were consulted on the creation of this exhibit.

Life: DNA to Ecosystems

This fourth floor has so much fascinating information that it can be a bit overwhelming. See the web of life illustrated through DNA, Utah ecosystems, preserved butterflies and local animals. Hit the highlights before moving along to the next floor where dinosaurs await.

Land: First Peoples and Past Worlds

The museum’s crowning jewel is its third floor, which we reach by following a winding ramp down Level 4’s west side to the land ancient people, dinosaurs and geology galore.

Start exploring Land by touching rocks from Utah’s three distinct regions: the Middle Rocky Mountains, Basin and Range and Colorado Plateau. We step out onto the outdoor terrace to see one of these regions in the wild: Utah’s Middle Rocky Mountains. The towering mountains and surrounding foothills showcase this diverse area of Utah geography.

Back inside, there’s a can’t-miss natural disaster area focused on earthquakes. As Utahns, we’ve been taught our whole lives that the “Big One” is coming any day, which makes this exhibit on earthquakes and plate tectonics fascinating. If you’re not into end-of-the-world scenarios, continue to the Great Salt Lake exhibit.

Can you believe the entire Salt Lake Valley was once completely underwater?

Photo: Austen Diamond/Visit Salt Lake

The Great Salt Lake exhibit is the place to learn about the world’s second saltiest lake — a remnant of Lake Bonneville.

Photo: Matt Morgan

Great Salt Lake: The Remnant of an Ancient Lake

Can you believe the entire Salt Lake Valley was once completely underwater? The Great Salt Lake exhibit is the place to learn about the world’s second saltiest lake — a remnant of Lake Bonneville. If you’ve recently visited the lake, walking under the display of flying seagulls and critters that call it home felt like a realistic way to experience it again. (Read: Great Salt Lake Needs Your Visit )

Past Worlds: Dinosaurs Come to Life

The Past Worlds exhibit is definitely a museum highlight. Utah is known for its diverse and plentiful dinosaur species, and fossil digs uncover new species all the time.

I could spend hours walking along the elevated ramp that showcases dozens of reconstructed dinosaur skeletons and real fossils. There’s a Gryposaurus, a duck-billed dinosaur, a Utahraptor found in Moab, an Allosaurus from Utah’s late Jurassic period, and a huge Stegosaurus from Utah’s Dinosaur National Monument or Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry — just to name a few.

This gallery also displays the world’s largest collection of horned dinosaur skulls and is an excellent place for geeking out on paleontology and imagining what life was like in Utah 150 million years ago.

Utah is known for its diverse and plentiful dinosaur species, and fossil digs uncover new species all the time.

The Past Worlds exhibit is definitely a museum highlight.

Gemstone Central

You might be running out of time, but make a stop at the Gemstone and Minerals exhibit — across from Past Worlds in O.C. Tanner Hall. Diamonds might be a girl’s best friend, but I loved all the sparkling gemstones in this collection. See rough mineral forms and beautifully cut, colorful gemstones found in Utah in a 12-foot vertical display as well as minerals from around the world in the "All the Colors of the Rainbow” exhibit.

Special Exhibits

NHMU also hosts special exhibits throughout the year, with topics ranging from chocolate to poison to predators. A recent exhibit, Nature’s Ultimate Machines, showed the natural powers of plants and animals.

Canyons, Cafés, Cookies

The third floor winds down to the second where we pass the Paleo Prep Lab and see paleontologists actually working on fossils to display. (Find play areas next door in Our Backyard where tiny tykes can climb, explore and don costumes.)

The Utah Futures exhibit concludes the exhibition galleries, and I like visiting this section to learn about the implications of global issues and changing environments for Utah. The focus on sustainability and making Utah a better place makes it one of my favorite stops.

By now, you’ve probably worked up an appetite. We make a beeline to the Museum Café where a sunny terrace awaits. The paninis made with Utah bread and local ingredients are my go-to late lunch, but you also can’t go wrong with a cup of Utah’s own Silver Bean Coffee paired with an iced dinosaur cookies — they’re not just for kids! Sip and snack on the terrace that looks out on the valley and distant Oquirrh Mountains or settle in at a table inside if the weather looks dicey.

Before you go, pick up one-of-a-kind only-in-Utah gifts and souvenirs at the Museum Store. Local artists craft unique jewelry for the shop, and you can also find dinosaur toys and collectible items.

Bonneville Shoreline Trail

Once you’ve wrapped up your museum tour, step outside and take a walk on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail , which follows the shoreline of ancient Lake Bonneville for just over 100 miles. The trail runs right in front of the museum and is open to bikers, runners, walkers and pets.

Tip: Fill your water bottle at the drinking fountain outside NHMU before hitting the trail.

There you have it! With this trusty guide, you can hit the Natural History Museum of Utah’s highlights in an afternoon, giving you plenty of time to add other stops to your itinerary for a fun-filled day.

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About the Author – Matcha

Matcha (formerly RootsRated) is a media platform that connects users with the best outdoor experiences, hand-picked by local outdoor retailers and their networks of local experts. That’s why we’re the content marketing experts for e-commerce and lifestyle brands.

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Natural History Museum of Utah

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Natural History Museum of Utah - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Natural History Museum of Utah

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Head to the Natural History Museum to learn about the formation of the region's parks, mountain ranges, lakes, and basins, as well as exhibits on Utah's Native American tribes, anthropology, entomology, zoology, mineralogy, botany and much more. The Great Salt Lake exhibit is a must-see, with interactive exhibits on one of the region's most unique features. Kids will especially enjoy the Our Backyard exhibit, with plenty of hands-on activities to spark their curiosity. Recent visitors say the whole museum is family-friendly, with plenty to see and do.

The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (with extended hours until 9 p.m. on Wednesdays). Tickets are $19.95 for adults; $17.95 for young adults ages 13 to 24; and $15.95 for children ages 3 to 12. Reservations are recommended. The museum sits about 2 miles north of the Hogle Zoo and is best reached by car. For more information, check out the museum's official website .

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301 Wakara Way Salt Lake City, Utah 84108

Natural History Museum of Utah

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The Natural History Museum of Utah is not only an architectural jewel, but it is one of the finest natural history museums in the country. The museum continues to connect Utah residents and tourists with the natural landscapes and cultures of Utah. They house more than 1.5 million specimens and objects.

Daily 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Wednesdays open until 9:00 p.m.

Admission Adult — $22.95 Senior 65 and over — $20.95 Young Adult 13 - 24 — $20.95 Child 3 - 12 — $17.95 Child 2 and under — FREE University of Utah Students **, Faculty & Staff with Valid ID — FREE

**University of Utah students must be currently enrolled in classes Permanent Exhibitions

The Natural History Museum of Utah has ten permanent exhibitions that are worth revisiting over and over again to continue a life-long learning experience of Utah's landscapes and cultures. You can spend hours diving deep into one exhibition, or spend hours breezing through all of them at once. The museum's exhibits are interactive and dynamic. Visit the website for a full description of each exhibit.

Want to know what makes the seasons, how a star is born, or hang out on the Sky terrace? This is your exhibit.

Native Voices

The Museum consulted Utah's Indian community to best depict Native American art and culture of this area's indigenous people.

Explore the web of life from DNA to Ecosystems while learning the specifics of Utah's biological diversity.

Take a geological journey through Utah's three physiographic regions: Middle Rocky Mountains, Basin and Range, and Colorado Plateau.

First Peoples

Learn about the Great Basin's prehistoric peoples through a reconstruction of an actual archeological dig site.

Gems and Minerals

You've never seen anything so pretty. Examine rough mineral forms and elegant cut gemstones for hours on end.

Great Salt Lake

History of the Great Salt Lake, remnant of Lake Bonneville. You can even get a great view of the lake itself!

Past Worlds

Our Backyard

Live bugs and a pond/stream area for kids to play in. Naturalists are practically born here.

Utah Futures

Participate in games where you can see results of your everyday activities on your environment.

Special Exhibits

The museum's special exhibitions are always favorites with the locals and tourists alike. In the past, exhibits have educated children and adults about chocolate, horses in present and ancient cultures, extreme mammals, and other delightful topics. Visit the website for information on current and upcoming exhibits.

Salt Lake City Weather

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Natural History Museum of Utah

Top ways to experience Natural History Museum of Utah and nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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Natural History Museum of Utah - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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Learn more about NHMU research happening in Utah and around the world in our latest blog posts.

Guest Favorites

Foothill nature walks.

Join us for a 45-minute, expert-led tour of the wildflowers growing in the foothills above Salt Lake City at our upcoming Foothill Nature Walks.

BUGFest happens August 10-11 at NHMU when we will explore the world of damselflies and dragonflies!

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Discover the Collection

We are home to a world-renowned collection of 1.6 million objects. Discover our expertise in the wonders of life, earth and culture. Explore Science

Archaeology

Archaeology examines the human past through studies of ancient objects.

Botany at NHMU consists of an Herbarium and Fungarium and associated research.

Ethnography

Ethnography, a branch of anthropology, is the study of living cultures and their histories.

Invertebrate Zoology

The Invertebrate Collections at NHMU consist of insects, arachnids, leeches, and mollusks.

NHMU’s Mineralogy Collection includes natural crystals, ore samples, and faceted gemstone specimens that illustrate the diversity and beauty of minerals.

Mycology is the study of Fungi, one of the most diverse and least understood kingdoms. NHMU began its mycology collection in 2016.

Paleontology

Paleontology is the study of ancient life by examining the fossil record. The Museum's paleontology collections comprise nearly 30,000 catalogued specimens.

Vertebrate Zoology

Vertebrate zoology is the study of animals with a backbone. Scientists have long used natural history collections to understand more about these animals.

Exhibitions

Learn more about the Museum's world class exhibits that explore billions of years of Utah's natural history.

Citizen Science

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Become a Member

Museum Membership comes with many benefits, including free admission to the NHMU for a year. Best of all, Members help support the Museum in its research and education initiatives every day!

Visit us at the Natural History Museum of Utah, a museum as dramatic as the wonders it holds. We illuminate the natural world and the place of humans within it.

Keep on learning! Follow us @NHMU

National Museum of Natural History Virtual Tours

Access the tours.

The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History virtual tours allow visitors to take self-guided, room-by-room tours of select exhibits and areas within the museum from their desktop or mobile device. Visitors can also access select collections and research areas at our satellite support and research stations as well as past exhibits no longer on display.

Virtual Tour Tips

• To navigate between adjoining rooms in the tours, click on the blue arrow links on the floor or use the navigation map in the upper right of the presentation screen.
• Look for the camera icon which gives you a close-up view of a particular object or exhibit panel.
• Try zooming in as some of the images are stitched together from individual pictures in order to create very high resolution gigapixel images.

Please note: This tour and these presentations have been tested and should work on all common devices, browsers, and operating systems (using a desktop computer with Windows, Mac, Linux or a mobile device such as an iPhone, iPad, or Android). Functionality and appearance may vary as it will adjust automatically to accommodate the most visitors. While the virtual tour has no advertising, ad blocking software or browser settings that block JavaScript and/or XML may interfere with the functionality of the virtual tour. Please let us know what you think of the tour and how the experience can be improved. Send your feedback to the NMNH Web Team .

Site Credit: Imagery and coding by Loren Ybarrondo

Equipment Used: Professional Nikon digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera bodies and lenses. The photography is typically done using rectilinear lenses with minimized distortion and shooting equirectangular panoramas at 22K pixels on the long side.

Software Used: No authoring software is used. The tours are hand-coded in HTML5 and JavaScript using the krpano graphics library.

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