Capital Initiatives

• Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts and Education Complex
• The Colonnade at the U of U
• Huntsman Cancer Hospital Phase II-B
• New Media Wing in the College of Fine Arts
• College of Nursing Building Renovation
• College of Pharmacy
• College of Science
• Student Housing
• Student Life Center
• The James L. Sorenson Molecular Biotechnology Building - USTAR
• Utah Museum of Natural History at the Rio Tinto Center

Utah Museum of Natural History at the Rio Tinto Center

The new home for the Utah Museum of Natural History, the Rio Tinto Center, is now under construction on a spectacular site adjacent to Red Butte Garden & Arboretum. Envisioned as a jumping-off place to explore Utah and the west, the 160,000 square foot facility has been designed by some of the country’s top architects with input from stakeholders statewide.

The building is a registered LEED project with U.S. Green Building Council. Sustainable elements include a partial green roof, landscaping with native plants and the infrastructure to install future photovoltaic arrays. For the academic community, the new facility will offer state-of-the-art labs with significantly expanded space for faculty and graduate students. Compacted, climate-controlled storage will allow for proper collections care and 25 years of growth.

For visitors, all-new exhibitions will interpret the natural world and provide space for interactive experiences. Learning labs will facilitate hands-on activities, while outdoor exhibits will help visitors explore the environment around the Museum. Summer programs will take place not just in a classroom, but in nature. For Utahns statewide, a “trailhead” system will encourage Museum-goers to visit areas around the state, armed with a deeper understanding of Utah’s unique natural history.

The beautiful, iconic Rio Tinto Center builds on the Museum’s 40-year record of success serving the people of Utah as a center for the study of the natural world. Trusted by Utahns to care for and exhibit more than 1.2 million objects - including some of the most extraordinary artifacts from Utah’s past - the Museum has inspired a love for nature and a passion for scientific discovery in generations of visitors.

Fundraising is continuing for the project with major recognition opportunities still available. Opening is projected for late 2011. For more information about how your gifts can support the Utah Museum of Natural History, please contact Chris Eisenberg at (801) 585-1437 or ceisenberg@umnh.utah.edu.