Press Release
Bring family and friends this Museum Day, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 21, to the Prehistoric Museum for FREE! There are always new exhibitions at the museum.
The Prehistoric Museum is nearing completion of the first floor of the Hall of Archaeology. These exhibitions trace the archaeology of Utah, starting in the Paleoindian period and ending at the arrival of the Spanish in Utah. In the few hundred years prior to Spanish contact, native peoples were facing new challenges taking place across the Colorado Plateau, including drought, loss of farming, tribal warfare and mass migrations of peoples across all of North America. Archeologists can find evidence of these changes in the artifacts left behind during this transient period in human history.
Now on display are several cooking vessels illustrating changes in lifestyle and craft during this period. One of the museum’s most beautiful artifacts, a hide elaborately decorated with a geometric painting, is also on display. It was found cached with several hide working tools and unpainted hides. Radio carbon dates place it just before the Spanish made contact in this area.
Don’t miss our special exhibition, “Weaving a World: A Way of Life in the Four Corners,” and the silent auction of a selection of rugs and baskets that runs through Nov. 9. This exhibit features a dazzling array of rugs and basketry from some of the leading weavers in the four corners region. A total of 40 contemporary Native American weavers are featured.
The Prehistoric Museum features fossils and artifacts from Utah. The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.