Tag Archives: Natural History

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.