Preshistoric Museum - Price, Utah

Get Your Fill of History at the College of Eastern Utah Prehistoric Museum

Utah is a land that is filled with history, from the pioneers to the Natives that settled the land before them. Yet, a history to the land exists that goes back even further, all the way to a time when great beasts walked the land. Utah, you see, was once a home to dinosaurs – and lots of them. It was in Utah after all that paleontologists uncovered a new species of velociraptor and dubbed it the Utahraptor.

One of the best places to learn about the history of the dinosaurs, as well as the people who came after, is at the College of Eastern Utah Prehistoric Museum located in Price. The museum, known as one of the best archaeology and paleontology museums in the country, is full of exhibits, educational programs, and collections that are meant to help the public become aware of the amazing history of the state.

The museum is divided into two sections, one for paleontology called the Hall of Dinosaurs and one for archaeology called the Hall of Archaeology.

Within the Hall of Dinosaurs, visitors will find a number of complete dinosaur mounts, as well as exhibits and information about all of the different species. The museum also has some partial dinosaur collections, including fossils and footprints. You can see both herbivores such as the stegosaurus and Prosaurolophus (a duck-billed dinosaur), and carnivores like the allosaurus and the famous Utahraptor. This hall, which is brimming with fossils and information, is certain to be a hit with every member of the family – just about everyone had a fascination with dinosaurs at some point!

The Hall of Archaeology covers the varied human cultures that lived in the area, starting with the Paleoindian. They even have the skeleton of a wooly mammoth that was once native to the area. After the Paleoindians came the Desert Archaic culture, followed by the Fremont culture. Finally, there is the Ute tribe, who still lives in Utah. Visitors can see an actual tipi like the ones the natives would have used.

The College of Eastern Utah Prehistoric Museum is a very educational and fun place for the whole family to visit. During the summer (April 1 to September 30), it is open seven days a week, from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and in the Winter (October 1 through March 31) it is open Monday through Saturday, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Adult admission is $5, seniors is $4, and children 2-12 are $2. Those under 2 are free!