Visiting The Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum
- Address: 496 E Main St, Vernal, UT 84078
- Phone: 435-789-3799
- Website
- Hours: Monday - Saturday: 9 AM - 5 PM
- Price: Adults: $10, Seniors: $8, Children (6-12 years old): $5, Children (5 years and under): Free
The Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum, originally opened in 1948 to celebrate eastern Utah’s geologic and natural history, became a state park in 1959.
Located in Vernal, Utah, this 22,000-square-foot museum boasts an impressive collection of dinosaur bones, life-sized dinosaur replicas, and hands-on exhibits.
Upon entering, visitors are greeted by an impressive 90-foot-long skeleton of a Diplodocus.
As a rock enthusiast, I especially loved the Fluorescent Minerals room, which was a highlight of the visit for me.
The interactive fossil lab is a lot of fun, and in the theater, you can enjoy a short film titled Stories in Stone.
The Eocene Gallery, featuring a stunning wall of leaf fossils and displays of plants and animals from that era, is another must-see.
The geology hall showcases fossils from the surrounding area, covering everything from algae to mammals.
The anthropology hall explores Native American life in the Uintas, while the natural history hall presents local wildlife through a captivating mural.
Jurassic Hall displays a range of dinosaur skeletons, including a haplocanthosaurus, stegosaurus, and allosaurus.
My personal favorite was the Dinosaur Garden just outside the museum.
Here, 17 life-sized replicas of prehistoric animals from various eras, from the Pennsylvanian through the Pleistocene, make for a fantastic display.
Many of these sculptures were crafted by Elbert Porter and added to the museum in 1977, with the stegosaurus being one of my favorites.
The Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum is a fascinating and educational gem. If you’re in Vernal, Utah, it’s well worth a visit.