NHMU: Your Ultimate Guide to Utah
By Mark Johnston
You might be visiting Salt Lake City to ski its powdery mountain resorts, or you might be commencing a road trip of Utah’s famous national parks, monuments, and the breathtaking landscapes in between.Whatever your reason, the Natural History Museum of Utah (NHMU) is a must-see destination for any Utah itinerary and perfectly located a mere 30 minutes from Salt Lake City International Airport. Just a few hours inside the architectural wonder of the museum’s home, the Rio Tinto Center, and you’ll gain a greater appreciation for the incredible landscapes you’ll see outside.
Keep reading to learn how one visit to NHMU will provide you with a more enlightened exploration of this amazing state.
The Past Worlds exhibition at NHMU. Photo by Leon Clayton
Uncovering Utah’s Ancient Life
Utah’s Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument might already be on your road trip itinerary because of its rugged landscapes featuring towering mesas and winding canyons. However, did you know it’s also a hotbed for dinosaur discoveries? NHMU’s paleontologists conduct field work each year where they often encounter fossils from dinosaurs previously unknown. The museum’s Past Worlds exhibition is a great place to see these new discoveries, including horned dinosaurs, ankylosaurs, hadrosaurs, and a tyrannosaur!
Understanding Utah’s Human History
Utah has a rich archaeological record, and our dry climate preserves a remarkable variety of objects—from turkey feather robes to woven sandals—made by Utah’s Indigenous peoples. The museum’s archeological collection, one of the largest in western North America, contains evidence of continual human habitation in the region for over 14,000 years! The First Peoples exhibition highlights breathtaking Ancestral Puebloan pottery, Fremont baskets, spear points as old as 12,000 B.C.E., and many other wonderfully preserved objects that tell the fascinating story of Utah’s earliest inhabitants.
Celebrating the Native Nations of Utah
On the top level of NHMU is a circular gallery that hums to life with voices and song whenever a guest enters. The voices are those of various members of the Native Nations of Utah, including the eight federally recognized tribes who advised on the design of the Native Voices exhibition. Vibrant artwork and regalia are displayed alongside informative panels and video stories that celebrate Indigenous cultures and their resilience in the face of persecution and forced relocation within the region.
A Lesson in Utah’s Land & Life
Utah is made up of three distinct physiographic regions: the Rocky Mountains, Basin and Range, and Colorado Plateau. The Land Exhibition at NHMU offers visitors an accessible introduction to these regions and the powerful forces that shaped Utah’s world-famous landscapes. The Life Exhibition then unveils the extraordinary biological diversity that fills these landscapes, from the depths of the desert to Utah’s highest peaks.
Plan a Visit
Whether you've lived in Utah for decades or are visiting this wondrous state for your first time, one visit to the Natural History Museum of Utah will provide you with a greater understanding and deeper appreciation of one of the top travel destinations in the world. Plan your visit today.
