Jurassic Museum- BYU Earth Science Museum

When it comes to museums, one favorite, particularly of kids (and kids at heart, of course) are dinosaur museums. They set the imagination loose. These large skeletons of creatures that once actually existed, loom large and foreboding in the minds of children. They love the fantastical idea that these bones could come alive. The sheer size of the monsters is enough to both frighten and excite. Just think about the recent movie "Night at the Museum." A favorite character for kids was the T-Rex.

Utah is one of those great locations when it comes to dinosaur museums. We have an armload in the state, so no matter where you live, there is probably one fairly close to you.

The BYU Earth Science Museum is one of those really cool museums. I remember as a child going to BYU to see the huge skeletal remains of dinosaurs. The Earth Science Museum is one of those treasures in our own backyard. It is one of the top five collections of fossils from the Jurassic Period in the entire world.

At the museum you can see a T-Rex skull, the fossilized imprint of dinosaur skin, or even touch fossils and dinosaur bones at the Touch Table. There is a full Allosaurus skeleton standing near a mural of what Utah might have looked like during the Jurassic Period. Check out the giant sloth that would have weighed 5 tons when it was alive- that more than two of your families cars put together! You can even see paleontologists working in the lab, removing fossils from rocks.

Head out to the museum to see an amazing collection- just wait to watch "Jurassic Park" until after your visit. You don't want the little ones too scared.

Place: BYU Earth Science Museum
Location: 1683 North Canyon Road, Provo, UT (just west of LaVell Edwards Stadium)
Phone: 801.422.3680
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Cost: FREE


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Distance from:
Salt Lake City: 43.9 miles
Provo (downtown): 2.1 miles
Ogden: 79.3 miles
Logan: 124 miles