Tag Archives: Museum

The Natural History Museum of Utah opens new state-of-the-art museum

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Story by Chris Washington

After several years of construction and planning, the Natural History Museum of Utah’s (NHMU) new facility is finally open to the public.

Construction on the Rio Tinto Center, as it’s called, dates back to around 2005 and didn’t officially open until Saturday.

Many of the people involved have high hopes for the new museum.

“I think we put together a great museum in a great location,” said Patti Carpenter, director of public relations for the museum. To celebrate its grand opening, admission was free for the entire first day.

NHMU, which is located at the University of Utah, is a major research institution that focuses primarily on both the natural and cultural history of the Great Basin Region.

A unique aspect of the museum is its ability to display multiple forms of information in one given area.

“One of our goals was for families to be able to experience the museum together and so in each area you’ll find something to look at, something to listen to, something to smell we have smells, and something to do,” said Randy Irmis, the curator of paleontology for the museum.

The new Rio Tinto Center is 163,000 square feet, with a staggering 51,000 feet as public gallery space. Todd Schliemann, the design architect for the building said that his goal was to “symbolize the beauty and magnitude of the state’s unique landscapes.”

Not only is the new facility state of the art, it is also highly energy-efficient with radiant cooling and heating systems, as well as water-efficient landscaping and plans for a solar-paneled roof that could power more than 25 percent of the museum. The facility also used recycled materials for more than 25 percent of the structural and architectural resources. If that wasn’t enough, over 75 percent of the museum’s construction waste was recycled.

New Interactive Museum Opens to the Public

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Story by Kylee Mecham

SALT LAKE CITY – The new Rio Tinto Center, at the Natural History Museum of Utah (NHMU), opened its doors to the public on Nov. 18, after six years of construction.  It features 10 new galleries of exhibitions, which are oriented to all ages.
According to Randy Irmis, curator of paleontology for the museum, “One of our goals was for families to be able to experience the museum together and so in each area you’ll find something to look at, something to listen to, something to smell, and something to do.”
The new building, which is located in the foothills of the Wasatch Mountain Range, features Utah’s history, artifacts and objects from every county in the state.  With the use of new interactive programs, each of the new galleries takes advantage of the surrounding environment.
“This is a place where we can inspire that curiosity early on and get kids trying their hand at observation, at study (and) at really trying to figure out things on their own,” said Becky Menlove, exhibit director for the museum.
“I think we put together a great museum in a great location,” said Patti Carpenter, director of public relations for the museum.
NHMU is a research institution that focuses on the natural and cultural history of the region.  For more information on the new Rio Tinto Center and its galleries visit the museum’s website at http://www.nhum.org.

New Museum Brings Science to Life

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Story by Katie Andrus

New Museum Brings Science to Life
After beginning construction in 2005 the Natural History Museum of Utah is finally open to visitors and scientists alike.
This new 51,000 square foot museum features 10 exhibitions that were designed by Ralph Appelbaum Associates along with the help of some of the museum staff members. They were able to bring together an interactive atmosphere that features cutting-edge science in which people can learn about the state of Utah and its very long history.
“You feel a little small, but maybe you also feel like you’re in a cathedral and the space is beginning to lift you up and getting you ready to learn, to receive information,” stated Todd Schliemann, the design architect for the building.
The 10 exhibits provide families with information on the weather, indigenous people, geography and biological features of the state of Utah.
“One of our goals was for families to be able to experience the museum together and so in each area you’ll find something to look at, something to listen to, something to smell we have smells, and something to do,” said Randy Irmis, a curator for the museum.
The museum also provides a place for children to have fun learning and discovering by conducting their own research. It can also be a place in which children can become inspired by science and begin to develop their own interest in what it takes to be a scientist.
Becky Menlove, an exhibit director for the museum, stated, “The opportunities for kids to explore science here are endless.”
For more information on what visitors can learn at the new museum, please visit the museum’s website at http://nhmu.utah.edu/.