The Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum is located in Vernal. We like to call it the Vernal Dinosaur Museum because it is full of dinosaurs inside and out. There are interactive puzzles and games for the kids, many fossils, and lots of other ways to learn about dinosaurs. This state park is a fun stop when visiting the Vernal area.
When you check into the Field House, make sure to ask about the Junior Scientist and PeeWee Paleo Programs. These programs cost extra, but when your children complete the booklets they earn a really cool patch. We love Junior Ranger programs like this because they help our kids stay involved in the museum and learn so much more.
Start your visit by watching the video. The video shows fossil discovery where scientists peel back each layer of sedimentary rock looking for imprint fossils. After the film, the first room you enter is the children’s room. This area is devoted to hands-on exploration: fossil puzzles, “discovering” fossils with a pick and brush, and classifying dinosaurs by their different features. There is a small cave to explore and fossils on display. Our boys love this room.
After exploring in the children’s section, work your way up through the museum. There are several different rooms with lots of interesting things. Dinosaur skeletons, fossils of plants and animals other than dinosaurs, replica of life during the Eocene (I learned that at this museum), and a mineral room with minerals that glow. These are just a few of our favorite rooms. There is a lot to see and do at the Utah Field House of Natural History Museum State Park.
After walking through the entire inside of the museum, make sure to head outside and continue into the garden. This was the highlight of the museum for our children. There is a small koi pond surrounded by life-size dinosaurs including compsognathus, triceratops, allosaurus, and t-rex. There is also a large replica wooly mammoth. Standing next to these large dinosaurs is so much fun for kids.
We had a great time at the museum and recommend it to anyone who has any interest in dinosaurs, young or old. For details on hours and admission fees, visit the Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum website. We are huge dinosaur fans, and are lucky that Utah is full of great dinosaur destination. Check out our post on 15 Dino Spots in Utah.
