Utah Museum of Natural History New Building Update
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George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation issues $5 Million Capstone Challenge
On July 29, 2008, Spencer F. Eccles, chairman and CEO of the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation, made an unexpected announcement to 600 guests during the groundbreaking ceremony for the home of the new Utah Museum of Natural History, the Rio Tinto Center. Mr. Eccles delivered the exciting news of the foundation's $5 million last-dollar, "capstone" challenge grant just moments prior to program guests putting shovels into the ground.
Read more at the University of Utah website
Rio Tinto's Kennecott Utah Copper Donates $15 Million to UMNH
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On May 15, 2008, Kennecott Utah Copper announced a donation to support the new Utah Museum of Natural History at the University of Utah. The new museum, scheduled to open in 2011, will be named the Utah Museum of Natural History at the Rio Tinto Center. The donation continues Kennecott's 30-year support of the Museum and is the largest single corporate donation in the University's history.
The Rio Tinto Center will be built to LEED-certified building standards and adorned with about 42,000 square feet of copper on the building's exterior. The donation includes copper mined from Kennecott's Bingham Canyon Mine.
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New Museum Design Taken from Utah's Landscape and Culture
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The design for the new Utah Museum of Natural History, created by Polshek Partnership, embodies the Museum's educational and scientific mission to inspire wonder and discovery of the natural world and the place of humans in it. The Museum will be the "trailhead" for the State of Utah. The architecture, together with the collections housed within, will create an inspirational visitor experience and encourage curiosity and inquiry.
"The design team has created a building that is certain to inspire, excite and educate the community and its visitors about the natural world," says Sarah George, UMNH Executive Director. "With the new design, people will be able to connect with the wild lands backed up against the heritage preserve, the valley, the basin and the Rockies."
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Construction Underway for New Museum Opening Late 2011
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With this major gift from Kennecott Utah Copper and the recent funding from the Utah State Legislature, the Museum is now in position to move forward on construction of the new building.
The Museum is grateful to the Utah State Legislature for its appropriation toward the new Museum Building. We thank the many supporters from counties and communities across the state who have been involved in this request. We look forward to better serving the people of Utah in our new facility in many years ahead.
Planning for the next steps is now underway. Bookmark this page and check back for updates to the new Utah Museum of Natural History.
For the Bonneville Shorline Trail community, please note that, for your safety, the section of the Trail that crosses the Museum's new site is closed Monday through Friday from approximately 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 pm. Please use one of the designated alternate routes during these times when construction work is underway.
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Stay in touch with the progress of the New Utah Museum of Natural History
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Sign-up for the UMNH Mailing and e-News Lists to keep up with the project.
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See a 3-D model of the new building in the current UMNH lobby! The renderings and the model are now on display.
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Other Information About the New Museum Building
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