First Visit to the Natural History Museum

         This year was the first time I visited the Natural History Museum of Utah at the University of Utah. It was a lot to take in because of the amount of information. I'm glad I waited until my son was older before having him engage with the exhibits the museum had to offer.

         As you can see, there are five levels to this place. The topics covered ranged from geology, anthropology, and other fields of science regarding the State of Utah.

         Of course, his favorite parts were those of geology and paleontology. I suppose kids generally prefer tangible things they can see and interact with. I liked the part where we could shine the UV lights on certain minerals and see what they looked like underneath it. There were also low-powered microscopes that allowed visitors to examine things. I know both my child and I appreciated it. The only slide I had an issue with was the blood smear of human blood which I thought the quality was so bad, it should be replaced.

         On top of the exhibits, I noticed summer workshops for children throughout the museum. They ranged from environmental science to botany. I even saw a lab space for molecular sciences. There's something to think about for future summer vacations.

         Before we left, we visited the gift shop for a souvenir. Unlike other museums we've been to thus far, I felt the Natural History Museum had a better book collection. It took a few minutes, but I think I picked something both of us would enjoy.

         It will take some time before we read the entire book, but I like the progress.

         We spent almost three hours at the museum. I still felt we didn't get to examine everything more closely. Not to mention, I had limited knowledge of the native tribes of my state. We will revisit this place later this year or sometime next year.

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