Utah's Natural History Museum Is A Big Hit

The Utah Natural History Museum, at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, moved to a much-needed new facility recently and has now reopened to the public. So far, the reviews are great, from scientists and casual visitors alike.

The Salt Lake Tribune has this article about the reopening. Below is the headline and then excerpts.

Crowds amazed, awed by natural history museum

Cuddling the ancient creatures on display at the new Natural History Museum of Utah was perhaps one of the only things children and other visitors weren’t allowed to do at the museum’s grand opening Friday. The $102 million museum, which opened about a year after the old museum closed, features interactive displays and exhibits at every turn, in addition to the towering dinos Utahns have come to expect.

Children weren’t the only ones amazed. Adults marveled at a dozen huge horned dinosaur heads hanging from a wall like works of art. They halted in front of a wall of skulls tracing human evolution. And they ascended to the Sky Terrace, where views of the Great Salt Lake, downtown Salt Lake City and the snowy Wasatch Mountains extended before them.

"This is spectacular," said Valerie Henderson who visited the museum Friday with her husband and two-month-old daughter, leaving her toddler with a friend so she could fully take it all in. She said she’s eager to return with her toddler and excited to show it off to friends from out-of-town. "We’re so excited this museum has opened because now when the weather is bad we have the most amazing place to take them."