Utah's first state history museum opens

Utah's first state history museum opens

Utah's first official state history museum opened Saturday, featuring a trove of artifacts and exhibits tracing the state's founding and cultural imprint on the U.S.

Why it matters: Utah was one of the only states without a dedicated history museum until now.

  • Previous state history was mainly represented by the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers and the Church History Museum, Utah Historical Society director Jennifer Ortiz told Axios.
  • The Museum of Utah aims to paint a broader and more inclusive picture.

    • The Mormon Meteor III race car. Photo: Kim Bojórquez/Axios

    State of play: The museum is on the first floor of the North Capitol Building, spanning 17,000 square feet with four main galleries that touch on statehood, community and traditions, labor and workers, and pop culture.

  • Around 950 objects will be on display.
  • The exhibits explore speed racing on the Bonneville Salt Flats, the fight for statehood, construction of the transcontinental railroad, impacts of prominent Utahns and more.

    • What they're saying: The museum aims to complicate people's assumptions about Utah while remaining intentional and historically accurate, according to Ortiz.

  • "Part of the work of the museum is to do a little bit of myth-busting, but in a way that helps bring people along."

    • Before you go: A brief walk-through of the museum takes about 20-30 minutes, but a thorough visit can last several hours, Ortiz noted.

  • The museum will be open daily from 9am-8pm Mondays-Thurdays and from 9am-6pm Fridays-Sundays.
  • It's free, no reservations required.

    • The bottom line: "Whether you're new to Utah or have been here for generations … you're going to find something to connect to," she said.