The community spotlight for the month of Sept., presented during the Carbon County Chamber of Commerce (CCCC) luncheon, was the USU Eastern Prehistoric Museum.
Alyssa Serl of the Utah Friends of Paleontology is a volunteer with the museum and presented during the luncheon. She thanked the chamber for having them come in and talk about the museum, of which she became involved with about two years ago. Up until then, Serl and her husband were learning about paleontology on their own and did not have a lot of guidance.
They attended the Fossil Fest two years ago and met Josh Lively, who is the Paleontology Curator at the museum. From there, they became official volunteers. Serl explained that the mission of the museum is to create an understanding and appreciation of natural and cultural processes that form the geologic fossils and records found in eastern Utah.
She stated that this is through efforts of both the staff and the community. The museum houses a myriad of exhibits, with many more in their collections. Serl explained that the lands are full of fossils in this region, with the largest amount of fossil records in the nation and second in the world.
The Prehistoric Museum is the home base for that research and people come from all over the world to study. The museum participates in the Utah Friends of Paleontology group, who has a big realm of individuals that come together for the group. In August, the first annual meeting was hosted since 2019 and was a huge success.
They were able to host about 80 individuals during the meeting. Upcoming is the third annual Fossil Fest, which will take place in October. Serl stated that it is very kid and community friendly.
To conclude, Serl explained that the USU Eastern Prehistoric Museum produces world-class research and contributes to the fossil dinosaur record extensively. The museum is unmatched with what they have to offer and that is something the community should be proud of, Serl shared.
The museum is located at 155 East Main Street in Price and can be contacted at (800) 817-9949.