Natural History Museum of Utah

The Natural History Museum of Utah occupies the Rio Tinto Center, a striking building set into the hillside on the University of Utah’s upper campus in Salt Lake City. Its architecture is part of the experience: the museum is organized as a descending route, so you move down through the galleries rather than doubling back through the same halls. Utah’s paleontology holdings, drawn from the state’s fossil record, are a genuine draw here, alongside exhibits on geology and the natural world.

Give yourself a few hours to move through the museum at an easy pace, though a quicker visit is possible and families with young children often stay longer. Because the building descends level by level, the natural way through is to start at the top and work down, so you can see the galleries in sequence without retracing your steps. A theater and rotating exhibits give visitors who want to slow down even more to explore.

The museum sits at 301 Wakara Way, above the main University of Utah campus near Foothill Drive, a drive up from downtown Salt Lake City rather than a walk. On site parking, including a garage and a lot, makes arriving by car simple, and street parking is available nearby too. The entrance, parking lot, and restrooms are wheelchair accessible, and assisted listening devices are available for visitors who need them.

The museum works well for families with small children, with kid friendly activities and a changing table on site, and just as well for a solo visitor filling an hour, or someone new to Salt Lake City who wants an easy introduction to the region’s natural history. It is a dependable choice on a rainy or very hot day too, since the galleries are entirely indoors. Programming and special exhibits change through the year, so what is on view can shift with the season.

A cafe and a museum store are on site for a break between galleries or something to take home. The museum is also right next to Red Butte Garden, which makes it easy to pair the two for a full day in the foothills above Salt Lake City, galleries in the morning and gardens in the afternoon or the other way around. For current hours, ticket prices, and any special exhibits, check the museum’s own website before you go.