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Moab Area Museums

Moab Museum

The Moab Museum is a cultural and natural history museum interpreting the stories of the Moab area through exhibits and programs. From histories of the first inhabitants of the Moab Valley to geology to uranium mining, the Museum’s exhibits span many facets of Moab’s past, present, and future. Located in the heart of town at 118 East Center Street, the Museum has been honored to serve community members and visitors for over 60 years. A renovation completed in 2020 provides a revitalized visitor experience, and the Museum offers a rich oral history archive, a research library, school programming, and community programs.

Visit moabmuseum.org to learn about more stories, events, and exhibits and follow the Moab Museum on Facebook and Instagram.

Temporary Exhibition: A Moab Prison Camp: Japanese American Incarceration in Grand County

The exhibition introduces the local and national story of Japanese American incarceration during WWII. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 authorizing the wartime incarceration of over 120,000 Japanese Americans, a majority of whom were US Citizens, in detention facilities across the country. The Moab Isolation Center, located north of Moab at Dalton Wells, played a brief but significant role in the web of Japanese-American incarceration facilities: a former Civilian Conservation Corps camp was transformed into a temporary prison camp for so-called “troublemakers” from other camps. In this exhibit, a tale of injustice and resilience unfolds via stories and objects, introducing the national context with the Smithsonian’s Righting a Wrong poster exhibition and research conducted by Utah State Parks.

Moab Giants Dinosaur Museum

Moab Giants Dinosaur Park is the first of its kind world-wide! Not only is it set among some of the world’s most breathtaking scenery in Moab, it is also a unique experience of the ages. You will journey back through time with a 3D cinema introducing you into the prehistoric world. There you get to make your own tracks alongside state-of the art life-size dinosaurs! You get to roam the extraordinary landscape they called home, as evidenced by the huge concentration of fossilized tracks found all around the area. The Tracks Museum is full of entertainment with interactive learning touch screens, games to play, and visually stunning exhibits that not only fascinate, but educate. It’s the ultimate place to discover the past with the modern conveniences and cutting edge technology that feel like the future.

The perfect balance of adventure and science, Moab Giants has been the realization of a dream for both their dinosaur park enthusiasts, as well as their world renowned scientists. They have special expertise in the field of fossil footprints and a deep knowledge of the paleontology of the region. Moab Giants has been actively engaged for many years in research, public education and exhibits and they are dedicated to being an educational and scientific resource for visitors from the local community, region, nation and the world, but not without some extreme fun along the way! It is Moab Giant’s mission to explore the beauty, adventure and scientific mysteries of the Moab area and share them with the world.”

Plan to experience Moab Giants in its entirety by visiting all the attractions they have to offer. There is something for everyone to enjoy. Exhibits include both indoor and outdoor experiences. Explore the park on your own and at your own pace, or participate in a more in-depth guided tour. Either way you will want to be sure you don’t miss a thing.

The Museum

The Museum – The indoor exhibits use interactive, cutting edge technology to highlight stories about fossil footprints and their impact on dinosaur science and geology. These exhibits also include insights into the history and prehistory of the Moab area, and windows into Moab Giant’s research labs, show-casing research activity in the community and region. They also have some hands on exhibits that let you experiment for yourself how tracks are made and fossilized.

The 3D Theater

Experience the magic of the creation and early history of our Earth through 3D cinema. Visitors get the full effect of prehistoric life in 3D before being introduced into the open landscape where things really come to life.

The Trail

Here you will travel in time along a half-mile-long trail with more than 130, state-of-the-art, full size reconstructions of dinosaurs and the tracks they made in the area. Children and adults alike can walk with the dinosaurs and enjoy a Mesozoic adventure blended with a relaxed outing into the desert landscape with its beautiful backdrop of dinosaur-bearing rock formations.

The 5D Paleoaquarium

After your walk through the desert with the dinosaurs on land you will have the unique opportunity to cool off in the paleoaquarium. Enjoy the ambience as you stroll past eight different 3D screens giving you a realistic view into ancient life under the sea. Your time in the aquarium will end in the 5D room with an all-encompassing experience you are sure not to forget!

The Playground and “Dig it Out” Areas

The kids will love this hands on dinosaur-themed playground for guests only. The playground includes rock climbing, web equipment, swings, slides and more! Climb inside T-Rex’s enormous mouth full of teeth and try your hand at paleontology and discovery by exploring their camp uncovering the dinosaur bones beneath the sand!

The Cafe

Plan to drop in to the Moab Giants Cafe for breakfast, lunch and tasty treats! The unique menu provides local favorites as well as dishes from around the world and are unlike any other in Moab. Everyone is sure to find something to satisfy their appetite. The menu is full of delicious food with names to contribute to your prehistoric adventure! It is sure to not disappoint!

The Gift Shop

Stop by the gift shop on your way out for a Moab Giants branded souvenir. Enjoy a large selection of gifts including dinosaur toys and models of all kinds, fashionable custom designed apparel for all ages, and everything in between.

For more information visit moabgiants.com

Film Museum at Red Cliffs Ranch

When you enter the Film Museum at Red Cliffs Ranch be prepared to look back over years of black and white filmmaking featuring our most cherished actors and actresses, along with highlights from recent film projects that have taken advantage of the spectacular scenery surrounding Moab.

In the late 40s the legendary John Ford discovered the rugged beauty of Moab’s Canyonlands and filmed the 1st of many movies here. The first major motion pictures filmed in the Moab area were set on the Red Cliffs Ranch. Wagon Master, Rio Grande, Son of Chochise, Warlock, Commancheros, Cheyenne Autumn, and many more used the ranch and it’s magnificent scenery for filming. John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara, Ben Johnson, Rock Hudson, Henry Fonda, Anthony Quinn, Lee Marvin, Richard Widmark, James Stewart, and Richard Boone have all worked on location here at the Red Cliff’s Ranch.

More recently Geronimo, City Slickers, Thelma & Louise, along with other movies and over 100 commercials have all used the Moab area as a location.

The museum houses memorabilia from the early films to the present and is ever changing. Movie and western ranching themes are present throughout the resort. The museum is self-guided and open to the public daily at no charge.

For more information visit the Red Cliffs Lodge website.

Museum Locations

Paleosafari Moab Giants

Intersection of Hwy 191 and 313
Phone: 435-355-0288

Moab Museum

118 E Center, Moab
Phone: 435-259-7985

Film Museum at Red Cliffs Ranch

Scenic Byway 128 – Mile Marker 14
Phone: 866-812-2002

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