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Children's Museum of Utah
At first the Children's Museum of Utah was just a newsletter and a post office box — and a community dream. In 1979 there were 40 children's museums throughout the country, but nowhere in Utah for children to play with water wheels, computers and levers.
Children learn at airplane cockpit mockup at Children's Museum of Utah.
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But Salt Lake City civic leaders rallied and were able to secure the city-owned Wasatch Springs swimming pool building at 840 N. 300 West, which was remodeled in 1981 with a $350,000 community block grant.
Through donations of time, money and equipment, Utah soon had its own place where children could explore and learn. By fall 1983, kids of all ages were crawling through a 727 cockpit, climbing in a Kenworth cab, digging in a saber-tooth tiger excavation table, saddling a fiberglass horse, and messing with an artificial heart operating table.
Over the past two decades several programs have become synonymous with the museum: the Cookie Lovers Festival; the Pinwheel Press (a child-produced newspaper); Hug-A-Tree.
About 75,000 visit the museum each year. Officials say it's easy for children to get enthusiastic about a brand-hands-on, educational museum and science center.
The museum hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Thursday and Saturday. Friday's hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is $3.75 for adults and children. For more information call 801-328-3383 or check the museum Web site at www.childmuseum.org.
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