Our museum is a hidden gem that visitors have compared favorably to some of the best and largest museums in the world!
Advisory Board
Officials
- Mark Bunnell - Chairman
- Tim Gwyther - Vice Chairman
Members
- Michael Glasson
- Peter Kilbourne
- Pam Miller
- Verushka Sterling
- Dennis Willis
- Layne Miller - Ex-Officio Advisor, Price City
- Dana Truman - Ex-Officio Advisor, BLM - Price Field Office
- Doug Miller - USU Eastern Associate Vice President
- Dr. Tim Riley - Museum Director
Our History
Summer 1960
Lee Stokes (University of Utah) and Eldon Dorman (amateur archaeologist, Price) discuss Price City acquiring an Allosaurus skeleton as a tourist draw.
September 1960
Special presentation to the Price Chamber of Commerce on "Dinosaur Land" to develop tourism in northeastern Utah. This builds on the discussion Dorman (who is a Chamber member) had with Stokes.
December 1960
Letters go out from the Chamber of Commerce to various furniture stores seeking display cases for the Prehistoric Museum, which is on the second floor of the Price Municipal Building.
January 16, 1961
The Chamber of Commerce authorizes $2,250.00 to purchase an Allosaurus skeleton.
January 23, 1961
Carbon College, a branch of the University of Utah, accepts responsibility to develop a new museum. Don Burge (geology faculty) and students brainstorm a new museum. However, the local community continues to drive its development.
February 13, 1961
TDr. Claude Burtenshaw, Director of Carbon College, presents to the Board of Regents, of the University of Utah, a proposal to establish a geological museum.
May 8, 1961
University of Utah Board of Regents meet in Price and vote to officially accept the local community's museum project as "the Carbon College Prehistoric Museum."
June 3, 1961
The museum opens in a 1500 sq. ft. converted conference room on the second floor of the Price City Municipal Building. It features artifacts and fossils donated or loaned by the community. It also featured a large mural of Jurassic dinosaurs by the Carbon Art League freely modeled on Rudolph Zallinger's "The Age of Reptiles" featured in Life Magazine, September 7, 1953.
1963
"Al", the Allosaurus goes on display in the hallway outside the museum.
October 14, 1963
County Commissioners discuss a new home for the Museum. The first Prehistoric Museum was located on the second floor of the Price City Municipal building (1964).
1964
Carbon College becomes the College of Eastern Utah, but remains a part of the U of U until 1969, when it becomes an independent community college.
December 14, 1970
Proposal made by City Councilman Fausett for the Museum to move into the unused city gymnasium.
March 1, 1971
City and the College of Eastern Utah sign a Lease and Agreement giving the gymnasium to the museum for ten years. The College begins renovations a few months later.
Spring 1973
Museum moves into the new facility at city gymnasium.
December 14, 1987
The lease for the gymnasium is extended through December 2013.
March 1988
The City and College partner for funding from the Economic Development Agency and Community Impact Board to build a new wing.
1988
Construction begins on the new wing.
April 13, 1990
The new Hall of Dinosaurs and Traveling Exhibition Gallery open.
June 1, 1991
Renovated Hall of Man opens (in the gymnasium section).
1991
The museum receives the basement of the former Carbon County Hospital for a fossil preparation lab and collections storage. (The "Bone Lab").
1992
The new Hall of Dinosaurs and Traveling Exhibition Gallery open.
2003
Museum is accredited by the American Association of Museums (AAM). Museum becomes a State and Federal repository of archaeological and paleontological materials.
January 31, 2004
One-millionth visitor.
2004
Museum explores expansion with a new wing.
July 2010
The Museum becomes a part of Utah State University.