Hang Out With Your Favorite Prehistoric Pals During Dinofest at the Utah Museum Of Natural History
By Catherine Armstrong|Published January 25, 2020
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Catherine Armstrong
Author
Writer, editor and researcher with a passion for exploring new places. Catherine loves local bookstores, independent films, and spending time with her family, including Gus the golden retriever, who is a very good boy.
Millions of years ago, dinosaurs roamed throughout Utah. The 23-ton Apatosaurus wandered around, snacking on plant life, and the carnivorous allosaurus preyed upon other dinosaur species. The terrifying Utahraptor walked and ran on two clawed feet, and may have even had feathers! If you’re fascinated by prehistoric creatures, Utah has plenty of places to learn all about them, and the Utah Museum of Natural History’s Dinofest is one of our favorites.
The Utah Museum of Natural History is a wonderful place to learn about the plants and animals of the Beehive State. You'll find this stunning museum situated in the foothills above the University of Utah.
The museum opened in 1969 at the University of Utah campus, and relocated to its new space, the Rio Tinto Center, in 2011. It's located at 301 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84108.
Every year, dinosaur lovers head to the museum for Dinofest, a two-day festival that celebrates the prehistoric creatures who once roamed the Beehive State.
...and the museum will open its Paleo Prep Lab to the public, so you can see scientists at work, studying dinosaur remains to find more clues about these awesome creatures who once called Utah home.
Get a close-up look at dinosaur remains in the Paleontology Collections at the museum, and interact with scientists who are passionate about prehistoric life.
Of course, you'll also want to browse through the Past Worlds exhibit in the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Gallery, where you'll see dozens of reconstructed dinosaur skeletons.
There's something at Dinofest for visitors of all ages. While adults will enjoy the formal, scientific presentations, kids will enjoy interactive dino displays, face-painting, and the opportunity to touch and explore real dinosaur bones.
Dinofest runs Saturday, January 25th and Sunday, January 26th, 2020, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It's included in the regular admission price, and it's free for museum members, as well as faculty, staff, and students of the University of Utah. Make plans now to attend!
Do you plan to attend Dinofest? Tag the dinosaur-loving friends and family that you want to take with you!
Learn more about the dinosaurs at the Utah Museum of Natural History and the scheduled events at Dinofest on the museum’s website, and make sure to visit its Facebook page to see what else is going on there!