Dinosaur Museum Salt Lake City Utah

Utah Field House Of Natural History State Park

A massive Diplodocus welcomes visitors to the Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum. This is one of the key dinosaur sites in Utah, serving as both a large natural history museum and state park. Like many of the states wonderful museums, it was founded to conduct paleontological research while also serving as a site of edutainment for dino-enthusiasts.

At first glance, it seemed like we would quickly breeze through the museum. Then you open a side door and begin descending through levels with fascinating and interactive exhibits. Besides the Diplodocus, you can see complete skeletons of a Stegosaurus, Brontotherium, Haplocanthosaurus, and Allosaurus. A stone wall exhibit also challenges visitors to find fossils that were never fully excavated.

The exhibits get more friendly for younger visitors the deeper you go into the museum. Hands-on exhibits invite you to brush aside sand in a replica of the famous Morrison Dig and try to solve problems like a paleontologist. Theres even a space that asks you to put on a museum curator hat and construct your own dinosaur exhibit.

Outside, the boys loved exploring the Vernal Dinosaur Garden with its 14 life-size dinosaur sculptures. Their favorite was, no surprise, a T-Rex battling a Triceratops. We also had fun with the Utahraptor, placed as though hes looking through the museum windows.

Antarctic Dinosaurs Will Go On Display At Natural History Museum Of Utah

A replica of a cryolophosaurus, a 25-foot-long dinosaur discovered in Antarctica, is a highlight of the exhibition “Antarctic Dinosaurs,” opening at Salt Lake City’s Natural History Museum of Utah on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020.

Millions of years before it was covered in ice, the land mass we know as Antarctica was a lush habitat where dinosaurs lived and, starting this weekend, visitors to the Natural History Museum of Utah will get to see what those creatures looked like.

Antarctic Dinosaurs is a new touring exhibit, developed by Chicagos Field Museum in partnership with NHMU, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and Discovery Place in Charlotte, N.C. It will run at NHMU, at 301 Wakara Way in Salt Lake City, from Saturday through April 4, 2021.

The exhibit shows examples of dinosaurs that lived in Antarctica 200 million years ago, when it was part of the supercontinent Gondwana before the wooded land mass was moved, through plate tectonics, to the frosty south pole. The exhibit features a skeleton and a lifelike replica of the 25-foot-long cryolophosaurus, the largest and most complete theropod from the Early Jurassic period ever found on Earth.

A recovered fossil of a cryolophosaurus, a 25-foot-long dinosaur discovered in Antarctica, is a highlight of the exhibition “Antarctic Dinosaurs,” opening at Salt Lake City’s Natural History Museum of Utah on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020.

Back In Time At The Ogden Dinosaur Park

Within the Ogden Dinosaur Park, paths wind through dinosaur habitats. It was fun to see different species camouflaged among trees or grazing in the grassjust like they might have done between 245 and 66 million years ago.

Paved paths take you past dinosaurs, some as big as a bus, others the size of a house cat.

Maxine and Edie were also thrilled to find the playground. Kids zipped down a slide inside a tall tree, climbed atop an enormous triceratops skull and kicked the sky on the swings. Children can choose between several sections of the playgroundone for small kids, one for older kids and one for all ages. Picnic tables and benches stand nearby for snack breaks.

Elsewhere in the Ogden Dinosaur Park, kids can dig for fossils in a quarry. A layer of sand conceals bones and even a nest of dino eggs! Maxine and Edie used brushes and small shovels to uncover fossils. Gradually, a skeleton emerged: a stegosaurus!

I loved hearing them talk as if they were real field scientists. The opportunity for imaginary play really brought the Ogden Dinosaur Park to life. My two mini paleontologists even recruited me to help with their monumental scientific discovery!

Maxine and Edie wanted to spend hours here. At the end of our trip , I had to explain that the dinosaur park was closing. And as much fun as we had, I didnt look forward to camping beneath the belly of a Tyrannosaurus Rex!

You May Like: National Bible Museum Washington Dc

Copper Ridge Dinosaur Trackways Near Moab

Try out this 15-minute easy trek to see tracks in the red rock likely left by the Apatosaurus and the Diplodocus. To get there, head south on U.S. 191 toward Moab. At mile marker 148, turn east on a dirt road to the trailhead for Copper Ridge Dinosaur Trackways.

Big Water Visitor Center

We loved exploring Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, and we barely scratched the surface. Its HUGE and many of the roads leading to popular sites and trails arent paved. If you find yourself on the southern end of the monument, between Kanab and Lake Powell, take some time to stop at the Big Water Visitor Center.

One of the Monuments four visitor centers, its architecture was inspired by Ammonite, a spiral-shaped fossil. Each of the visitor centers has a different theme, and Big Waters is the regions geologic and paleontological discoveries.

Several exhibits here feature paleontology discoveries in Grand Staircase Escalante. Since 2005, fourteen new dinosaur species were discovered in the Monument. This makes it one of the most productive paleontological regions on the North American continent. As you enter, youll pass a dinosaur dig exhibit in the courtyard. Inside youll find fossils and information about the dinosaurs that once roamed here.

While youre taking in all the info, talk to the rangers about the region. Theyll have some great ideas and suggestions for things to do.

Also Check: New Orleans Jazz Museum Tickets

Salt Lake City Ut Utah Museum Of Natural History

The Utah Museum of Natural History is a gorgeous, open museum with huge glass walls that allow a ton of sunlight and make the whole place feel alive.The star of the show for me is their wall of Ceratopsian skulls, which is like nothing Ive ever seen, but their Stegosaurus skeleton is great too.Its posed to recreate the effect that mudslides, swamps, and lagoons in ancient Utah could produce.There is a nice video that plays next to the exhibit as well which really helps you understand what youre seeing, and have many dinosaurs could be killed as result of these natural disasters.Most of the fossils here were collected in the same area due to these harsh conditions.Its a very dynamic presentation that showcases the particular role Utah played in the lives of some of our favorite dinosaurs.

Utah Destinations For Dinosaur Lovers

Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

SALT LAKE CITY Utah is one of the best places in the U.S. to find, see and learn about dinosaurs. The state is home to a number of good, family-friendly natural history museums filled with fossils from dinosaurs large and small. Many of the dinosaurs on display were found in the state of Utah.

In Utah’s remote regions, serious dinosaur hunters can see paleontologists at work, find fossils in the wild, and possibly even discover a new species. Here are a few of Utah’s best dinosaur destinations.

Wasatch Front

1. Natural History Museum of Utah

Whenever a new dinosaur species is discovered in Utah, there is a good chance that it will be on display at the Natural History Museum of Utah first. Here, skulls from new species Utahceratops and Cosmoceratops are part of the world’s only display of 14 ceratopsian dinosaur skulls.

The Natural History Museum of Utah is a lot of fun for families. The museum’s beautiful new building is innovative, interactive and filled with educational play spaces for children.

2. Museum of Ancient Life

3. Ogden Eccles Dinosaur Park

4. BYU Museum of Paleontology

Eastern Utah

5. Dinosaur National Monument

6. Utah Field House of Natural History

Southern Utah

Don’t Miss: Frank Lloyd Wright Museum Gift Shop

Utah For Kids Who Love Dinosaurs

We visited the Ogden Dinosaur Park on our spring break road trip. We stayed overnight in Best Western High Country Inn in Ogden before continuing our trip to Green River and Moab, Utah.

The Ogden Dinosaur Park was a perfect activity for me and the kids. They got to stretch their legs and burn off energy built up from two days of driving.

It also helped that we had something epic to look forward to!

I absolutely recommend stopping at the George Eccles Dinosaur Park in Ogden. We cant wait to go back. Make sure to pin this post for later so you dont forget to go!

Tags:

Day : Getting Our Feet Wet Sandy

On day 1, we worked our way up from the southwestern border of the state. Starting at the St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site was an easy choice! We spent a few hours there, with JJ and I working through the museum slowly while John and Bug buzzed through and spent most of their time outside. It was an exciting dino start to our tour!

The rest of our day was spent burning off energy and exploring the natural beauty of southern Utah. We slid down dunes at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park and scaled a wall to enter the Moqui Caverns. As we reached our cabin-hotel that evening, we were already in awe of the state.

We stayed at Bryce Country Cabins in Tropic, Utah. The accommodations were convenient to Bryce Canyon National Park and our adventures along Highway 12.

Also Check: New Children’s Museum Portland Maine

Salt Lake Ski Super Pass

The Salt Lake Ski Super Pass is your discounted lift ticket to Salt Lakes four world-class resorts. With the Super Pass, you can save money on ticket prices to Alta, Brighton, Snowbird and Solitude with no blackout dates. In addition to lift tickets, the Salt Lake Ski Super Pass includes public transit fare and rental shop discounts.

What Is The Natural History Museum Of Utah

Its a fantastic museum detailing the natural history of the state of Utah. Tons of cool interactive exhibits, from minerals and metals on up to the flora and fauna, make the museum an excellent educational centerpiece for any trip to Utah. But even better, it has dinosaurs. Lots of dinosaurs. Utah is one of the worlds richest areas for dinosaur-fossil discovery, and the museums impressive exhibits of skeletal giant reptiles from the past make it a must-stop.

Recommended Reading: Tickets To The Louvre Museum Paris France

Utahraptor Megablock Fossil Project

Scott Madsen working on the megablock at the UGS.

The Utah Geological Survey holds on behalf of the citizens of the State of Utah what is likely the most spectacular dinosaur fossil assemblage ever collected in the state. Recovered from the Stikes Quarry in southeastern Utah, the 9-ton block of sandstone contains thousands of bones of baby to adult Utahraptor dinosaurs, at least two iguanodont dinosaurs, and possibly other species. These animals became trapped in a quicksand-like mass likely while preying on one or more trapped plant-eating iguanodont dinosaurs. Many painstaking hours have been spent by expert preparators carefully exposing hundreds of bones from just a small portion of the accumulation of skeletons. The megablock is yielding numerous juvenile and adult skeletons that will be reassembled into a pack of Utahraptor dinosaurs and displayed at the Natural History Museum of Utah.

What Is Included In The Price

• Personalized electronic invitations
• 60 minute reservation in our private, colorfully decorated Party Room with an additional 40 minutes in our Community Room for cake and refreshments
• Dedicated Party Staff to facilitate activities and ensure your party is a success
• Day-of general admission to the Museum for all party guests
• Plates, cups, and utensils along with paper napkins
• A fun, party-themed backdrop for your photos
• Age-appropriate hands-on activities
• Goodie bag for each child guest

Also Check: Hollywood Cars Museum And Liberace Garage

This Exhibit Is Now Closed See Current Exhibits

Embark on an adventure to uncover never-before-seen dinosaur fossils from one of the most isolated environments on Earth.

Antarctic Dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum of Utah is an immersive experience, transporting visitors back 200 million years to discover what life was like in prehistoric Antarctica.

Antarctic Dinosaurs guides visitors through what was once a lush, thriving continent. Discover fossils from four Antarctic dinosaur species, get hands-on experience with real tools to learn how paleontologists had to carefully extract them from the now frozen landscape and understand how research of these fossils sheds new light on our planets ever-changing climate and geology.

Join the thrilling expedition at the Natural History Museum of Utah.

Reservations are required to visit the Museum.

Travel Tip: Pack A Few Jokes To Impress The Paleontologists On Your Trip:

A thesaurus

Jurassic pork

Ask Brian Regans son

I dino-might.

Read Also: The Museum In Washington Dc

Day : Playing Near Park City

On our last full day in Utah, we started by ticking off something from Johns wishlist: a bobsled ride at the Park City Olympic Park. It was an exciting start to the day, and we were impressed by how much the park had to offer.

We watched kids learning how to do aerial ski jumps into a pool and then brought our usual picnic lunch to the kids area with free climbing structures. There were family-friendly ropes courses here and entertaining views of people zooming down the extreme tubing lanes!

We then headed into the Olympic Museum where we had fun with their interactive exhibits. Bug and I got to ride the virtual bobsled and JJ proved to be surprisingly skillful at the simulation ski jump!

Our last Utah dinosaur attraction of the trip was to the George Eccles Dinosaur Park in Ogden. After several serious dinosaur stops, it was fun to roam around outside looking at the sculptures and playing in the playground. It was a perfect farewell to our week of dinosaur fun.

We headed back to the condo for some pool time before calling it a day.

Itinerary: Dinosaur Road Trip With Kids

The following is the itinerary for our week-long road trip through Utah dinosaur sites. We visited several of the sites listed above, but also stopped at non-dino-related places to keep our dinosaur days fresh and exciting. Theres so much more that wed love to do on a future trip!

We drove to Utah from California, so we started from Las Vegas and then left the state from Park City and headed to Reno. An itinerary like this can be easily modified with a roundtrip to and from Salt Lake City.

You May Like: Dale’s Wheels Through Time Museum

Red Fleet State Park And Dinosaur Track Site

After a few days exploring the incredible beauty of southern Utah, we headed to the northwest corner of the state known as Dinosaurland. John didnt want to set up and break down our camping gear on this trip, so we booked a teepee to make our camping leg a bit easier.

The drive into the park was exciting in and of itself. As you wind through the hills, the landscape is punctuated by signs describing dinosaur fossils that are found there. They are written to help you imagine the dinosaurs living and wandering through the very spot you are driving through.

The campground is on the banks of Red Fleet Reservoir in Red Fleet State Park. Its a beautiful spot to camp or to play for a day. But the big appeal for us was the dinosaur track site just a quick kayak ride away.

My only complaint about this park is that it is staffed by young people who are, lets say, not very professional. We planned to set up camp, and then rent a kayak to explore the track site and reservoir. Unfortunately, there is no posted schedule for renting watercraft. This leaves the staff to decide when they are going to let people rent them. On our day, it was a no. The only people able to rent any watercraft were the siblings and friends of the staff. They were given keys to take what they wanted.

If you hope to kayak to the track site, which looked like quite an amazing experience, bring your own watercraft if you can. If we return, well be bringing an inflatable kayak with us.

Reservations Are Recommended For Admission

The Museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m every day. On Wednesdays, we are open until 9 p.m. Guests are encouraged to start planning their visit at least one day in advance, as ticket availability is limited. If a discount requires validation your reservation may show a balance until validation is presented upon entry.

For questions regarding accommodations please see our accessibility page.

To enjoy free admission and other year-round benefits, consider becoming a Museum Member!

Additionally, we offer homeschool reservations and discounts for groups of 12 or more.

Also Check: Museum Of Fine Arts Art Classes

Cost And Other Information

• Dinosaur Detectives Party: $275 for up to 12 kids and up to 8 adult guests, including the birthday child and family.
• Science Lab Party: $275 for up to 15 kids and up to 5 adults, including the birthday child and family.
• We require at least 2 adults per party