Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum |
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Allosaurus skeletal reconstruction
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 Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum
Location in Utah
Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum
Location in the United States
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| Location | Uintah, Utah, United States |
| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Elevation | 5,300 ft (1,600 m) |
| Established | 1959 |
| Visitors | 44290 (in 2011) |
| Operator | Utah State Parks |
The Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum is a cool museum located in Vernal, Utah, in the United States. It's a great place to explore the ancient past of Utah, from dinosaurs to early humans and local wildlife.
Contents
Explore the Utah Field House Museum
The Utah Field House of Natural History State Park is a museum that covers about 2 acres of land. The main building is quite large, about 22,000 square feet! Inside, you can see amazing things like fossils, tools from ancient people, and items that show the natural history of the area. Most of these items were found near the Uinta Mountains and in the Uinta Basin.
If you visit, you can also enjoy a picnic in the park's outdoor area. If you want to camp, there are places nearby like Red Fleet State Park, Steinaker State Park, and Dinosaur National Monument.
What You'll See Inside
The Utah Field House of Natural History has a big round room called a rotunda. It also has three main exhibit halls, a classroom, a theater, and a fun outdoor garden.
Discover Ancient Life in the Geology Hall
In the Geology Hall, you'll find incredible fossils. These include ancient algae, huge dinosaurs, and early mammals. These fossils tell a story that goes back more than 600 million years! You'll also see cool artwork that shows what these creatures might have looked like. There are also paintings that explain the geology (how the land was formed) of the region.
Human History in the Anthropology Hall
The Anthropology Hall focuses on the story of people in this area. You can see artifacts (old tools and items) from the Fremont Indian people. There are also copies of local petroglyphs, which are ancient rock carvings. You'll also find more recent handicrafts and cultural items made by the Ute tribe.
Local Animals in the Natural History Hall
The Natural History Hall shows off the animals that live in Utah today. You'll see examples of local wildlife arranged along a large mural. This mural shows the different environments of the area, from the high Uinta Mountains to the lower Uinta Basin.
Meet Dinosaurs in the Outdoor Garden
Outside the museum, there's a special place called the Dinosaur Garden. Here, you'll find 17 life-sized models of prehistoric animals! These models represent creatures that lived from the Pennsylvanian period all the way to the Pleistocene epoch. This covers a huge part of the Geological time scale.
Some of the cool models you can see include a 20-foot-tall Tyrannosaurus, a Stegosaurus, and two Moschops. Most of these amazing sculptures were made by an artist named Elbert Porter. They were bought for the museum in 1977. The newest addition, from 1993, is a model of a Coelophysis, created by artist David Thomas.
Museum History
The idea for this museum started in 1945. The Utah State Legislature (the state's government) decided to build a state-owned natural history museum in Vernal. This happened because local groups, like the Lions Club, worked hard to make it happen. They wanted a place to keep and show off ancient fossils and other natural history items. Money was set aside in 1946, and the museum officially opened its doors in 1948. Since then, millions of people have visited this fascinating place!
