Utah History Happenings Blog


See what’s happening with Utah history! Explore the past and get excited about the present through historical stories, highlights, program updates, and more. This digital resource serves as your window into the captivating stories, perspectives, and significant events that have helped shape the Beehive State. With meticulous research and insightful analysis, we aim to contextualize and breathe life into Utah's most cherished narratives, ensuring that the legacies of the past continue to resonate in the present.
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Featured image for “The Past is Personal: Temporary Exhibit Gallery through June 2027”

The Past is Personal: Temporary Exhibit Gallery through June 2027

Written by Jami Van Huss, Guest Curator What do you remember? Why do you remember it? How do you remember it?  The Museum of Utah’s inaugural temporary exhibition, The Past...
Last updated: July 15, 2026

Victoria Hills

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NHD Utah National Contest Honors

College Park MD |  12-18 June 2026 In June, 47 Utah students, along with their teachers and family members, traveled to Washington, D.C., to compete at the National History Day...
Last updated: July 13, 2026

Victoria Hills

Featured image for “Main Stage Performances | Museum of Utah Grand Opening Celebration”

Main Stage Performances | Museum of Utah Grand Opening Celebration

Updated 6/23/26 Check out the main stage perfomers who will be at our Community Grand Opening Celebration on June 27, 2026. Join us from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. for...
Last updated: June 23, 2026

Haille VanPatten

Featured image for “Food Truck Lineup | Museum of Utah Grand Opening Celebration”

Food Truck Lineup | Museum of Utah Grand Opening Celebration

Updated 6/23/26 Check out the local food trucks that will be at our Community Grand Opening Celebration on June 27, 2026. Join us from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. for...
Last updated: June 23, 2026

Haille VanPatten

Featured image for “Community Partner List | Museum of Utah Grand Opening Celebration”

Community Partner List | Museum of Utah Grand Opening Celebration

Updated 6/16/26 Check out the community partners and organizations who will be at our Community Grand Opening Celebration on June 27, 2026. Join us from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m....
Last updated: June 16, 2026

Haille VanPatten

Featured image for “The Museum of Utah is a 2026 Blue Star Museum”

The Museum of Utah is a 2026 Blue Star Museum

Free admission for military personnel and their families from May 16 until September 7 The Museum of Utah is pleased to participate in Blue Star Museums, a program that provides...
Last updated: June 2, 2026

Victoria Hills

Featured image for “What were boss bikes used for?”

What were boss bikes used for?

Visit the Museum of Utah, opening June 27 on the Utah Capitol Complex. If you’re not sure, you’re not alone! In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a boss...
Last updated: June 2, 2026

Haille VanPatten

Featured image for “NATIONAL HISTORY DAY IN UTAH 2026 STATE CONTEST RESULTS AND RECAP”

NATIONAL HISTORY DAY IN UTAH 2026 STATE CONTEST RESULTS AND RECAP

National History Day in Utah is proud to announce the results of the 2026 State Contest on April 24, 2026, at Westminster University. This year, more than 5,000 students across...
Last updated: May 26, 2026

Victoria Hills

Featured image for “What is Deseret currency?”

What is Deseret currency?

Visit the Museum of Utah, opening June 27 on the Utah Capitol Complex. If you were to walk into a general store in 1850s Salt Lake City, standard U.S. dollars...
Last updated: May 9, 2026

Haille VanPatten

Featured image for “Are there really whales in the Great Salt Lake?”

Are there really whales in the Great Salt Lake?

Visit the Museum of Utah, opening June 27 on the Utah Capitol Complex. If you grew up in Utah, you might have heard the legendary rumor of two whales living...
Last updated: May 9, 2026

Haille VanPatten

Featured image for “Why is Utah’s state bird the California Gull?”

Why is Utah’s state bird the California Gull?

Visit the Museum of Utah, opening June 27 on the Utah Capitol Complex. You may be asking yourself: Why would one of Utah’s official symbols be named after a different...
Last updated: May 9, 2026

Haille VanPatten

Iosepa: Utah’s Pacific Islander Pioneers

Benjamin C. Pykles, Historic Sites Curator Church History Department, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints “Hawaiians in the Utah desert! What?” This was my initial reaction when I...
Last updated: April 27, 2026

Alycia Rowley