History

The Natural History Museum of Utah opened its doors to the public in the George Thomas Building at the University of Utah in 1969. Since then, collections have been transferred from the University's academic departments and grown through research, acquisition, and contributions to number more than 1.6 million objects. The Museum has solidified its position as the state museum of natural history and has developed strong programs of exhibits and education, both on-site and statewide. In November 2011, we moved to a new home, the Rio Tinto Center, with entirely new exhibit galleries, engaging programs for the public and state-of-the-art collections care and research facilities. At this milestone in the Museum's rich history, we acknowledge that we are a work-in-progress.