Natural History Museum of Utah

Natural History Museum of Utah

Natural History Museum of Utah
4.5
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
As the Utah state museum of natural history, this top attraction provides an introduction to the science in Utah's remarkable landscape! With engaging exhibits and over 5,000 artifacts on display, the Museum features Utah's paleontology discoveries, fascinating gems and minerals found world-wide, preserved artifacts from Utah's prehistoric peoples, and stories told by the five Native nations that lie within the state's boundaries. Journey to the top of a three-story indoor Canyon. Wander through Utah's dinosaurs and animal life. Interact with earthquakes, erosion, and our Digital Globe to discover how the earth's surface and the Great Salt Lake have changed over time. Enjoy breath-taking views from our observatory deck. Hike the Bonneville Shoreline trail. Experience natural history as only Utah can reveal it. Enjoy beverages, lunch or a snack at the Museum Cafe. Shop the Museum Store for unique jewelry and gift items influenced by nature's design. Visitors with young kids will enjoy Our Backyard, an intimate, discovery-based environment that invites our pre-school visitors to experience natural history first hand!
Duration: 2-3 hours
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  • swoodruf
    Muskegon, Michigan1,400 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Wonderful Natural History Museum with Dinosaurs Galore!
    What a terrific museum! I have never seen so many dinosaur skeletons from so many different periods as I have in this museum. I found it fascinating. The research has advanced so much since when I was a child. The area around Salt Lake used to be a huge inland lake, Lake Bonneville, which is fossil rich. The university must have an archaeology program, as there are windows where you can see people working on digs. The museum as actually on the grounds of the University of Utah. We had a snack in the snack bar and perused the store when done. This museum is so huge that you feel like you didn't get to see everything as well. Very fun time with my 13 year old grandson.
    Visited June 2023
    Written 1 July 2023
  • Kelsey P
    San Rafael, California117 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Cool science museum
    We stumbled in on a rainy day and had a wonderful time. The museum takes you upward through time starting with a really cool dinosaur exhibit, then geology and how the Great Salt Lake was formed, indigenous artifacts, taxidermy dioramas, and ending with a really cool exhibit on current Native communities in Utah. There were a couple areas closed for renovations, and a special exhibit on conservation with live animals on display. We didn't bring children but there were a lot of hands on activities for kids of all ages. Definitely worth a visit while in SLC.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 7 September 2023
  • Gilles Tremble
    4 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A must for anyone interested in the Earth's incredible history and a whole lot of fun.
    A dinosaur-sized adventure that had me feeling like a curious kid again! As soon as you walk in, you're surrounded by towering dinosaurs and fascinating geological displays that transport you back in time. The hands-on exhibits and interactive displays make learning about natural history a blast. What makes this place truly special is the panoramic view of Salt Lake City from the top floor; it's like a reward for the journey through the museum. It's not just a museum; it's a day filled with wonder, learning, and even a touch of adventure.
    Visited March 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 9 November 2023
  • Mark H
    Irvine, California238 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Every exhibit is great!
    Great museum with an attractive layout and good views of the Valley. Liked the cafe and each floor of the museum! Underneath the migrating birds on the ceiling, is a map of the Great Salt Lake through the ages. The UGuest Wi-Fi is tricky to access because you need to enter your phone number as a username and an access code. If you have to switch screens to find the code, then the login disappears and you start over. Some of the staircases could be marked for those with low vision: add a stripe of paint across the top step and across the bottom step.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 18 February 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles1,573 reviews
Excellent
1,221
Very good
281
Average
57
Poor
12
Terrible
2

Mark H
Irvine, CA238 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Solo
Great museum with an attractive layout and good views of the Valley. Liked the cafe and each floor of the museum! Underneath the migrating birds on the ceiling, is a map of the Great Salt Lake through the ages. The UGuest Wi-Fi is tricky to access because you need to enter your phone number as a username and an access code. If you have to switch screens to find the code, then the login disappears and you start over. Some of the staircases could be marked for those with low vision: add a stripe of paint across the top step and across the bottom step.
Written 18 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

FlaTravelGuy
Tampa, FL41 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Family
We had the pleasure of touring during “behind the scenes day”. Enjoy meeting many of the professors and employees who are more than eager to discuss their work. A great day overall.
Written 18 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Gilles Tremble
4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2023 • Family
A dinosaur-sized adventure that had me feeling like a curious kid again! As soon as you walk in, you're surrounded by towering dinosaurs and fascinating geological displays that transport you back in time. The hands-on exhibits and interactive displays make learning about natural history a blast. What makes this place truly special is the panoramic view of Salt Lake City from the top floor; it's like a reward for the journey through the museum. It's not just a museum; it's a day filled with wonder, learning, and even a touch of adventure.
Written 9 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kelsey P
San Rafael, CA117 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Couples
We stumbled in on a rainy day and had a wonderful time. The museum takes you upward through time starting with a really cool dinosaur exhibit, then geology and how the Great Salt Lake was formed, indigenous artifacts, taxidermy dioramas, and ending with a really cool exhibit on current Native communities in Utah. There were a couple areas closed for renovations, and a special exhibit on conservation with live animals on display. We didn't bring children but there were a lot of hands on activities for kids of all ages. Definitely worth a visit while in SLC.
Written 8 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

misanthropicdreamer
San Francisco, CA545 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Family
The museum has a cool building but overall it is just average. We went to see the dinosaur exhibit and there are lots of impressive skeletons for kids. A caution is that there is a video stating a theory about dinosaurs eating other dinosaurs and then eating themselves— not good for kids (!) There is a Native American exhibit that was good. There were live animals and a talk in which the lady was going to show live animals. She showed a cute crested gecko but then just a snake skin. Would have liked more live critters.
Written 2 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Pamela
10 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023
It's your basic museum, but it's pretty good. Nothing spectacular but it can occupy you for an hour or so.
Written 23 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

swoodruf
Muskegon, MI1,400 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023
What a terrific museum! I have never seen so many dinosaur skeletons from so many different periods as I have in this museum. I found it fascinating. The research has advanced so much since when I was a child. The area around Salt Lake used to be a huge inland lake, Lake Bonneville, which is fossil rich. The university must have an archaeology program, as there are windows where you can see people working on digs. The museum as actually on the grounds of the University of Utah. We had a snack in the snack bar and perused the store when done. This museum is so huge that you feel like you didn't get to see everything as well. Very fun time with my 13 year old grandson.
Written 1 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dpat3
Colorado Springs, CO334 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Family
We went on a week day with our 8 month old, 2 yr old and 5 yr old. It wasn’t super busy unless you were around a field trip. Plenty of room for our double stroller. The dinosaur exhibit is set up in a very cool way and was the best part. We enjoyed looking at the tall walls of butterflies and bugs but some were so high up you couldn’t see. It would be cool if they were horizontal instead. The thing we were super bummed about was the fact that there were signs for the outdoor exhibits on the top level but there was nothing up there. Would have liked some more hands on things for the little kids. Overall we enjoyed though.
Written 16 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

FrequentFlier550634
Johns Island, SC2 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023 • Solo
Native American exhibit was excellent ,extensive and informative.. narrative materials about various tools and crafts were very informative.
Written 13 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Katiria
Tennessee17 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Couples
This was at least for us, a hidden gem in our road trip that we found at last second. If you're interested in history/pre-historic times you will love this place. I would recommend taking at least two hours+ to appreciate the entire museum.

Overall would definitely recommend!
Written 11 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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

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