Our museum services' mission is to advance the value of museums within Utah and to enable the broadest physical, intellectual and emotional access to collections and programs.
You can search for museums on the Utah Museums Association website, a directory fueled by data from Utah Arts & Museums. For current exhibits and events, visit NowPlayingUtah.com. Whether you are planning a day trip to a museum or a longer road trip, these sites are sources of information about the museums that you want to visit. Always confirm with the museum before traveling and please inform us of any corrections or additions.
Museum Day at the Legislature
The Utah Museums Association and the Advisory Board of the Office of Museum Services host Museum Day at the Legislature in the Capitol Rotunda. Click HERE for more information or to see the 2012 slideshow and video. Mark your calendars for next year's Museum Day, which will be held February 28, 2013.
Blue Star Museums
Blue Star Museums offer free admission to active-duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Click HERE for more information.
Celebrate Your Museum Day
Communities across the United States celebrated their museums September 29, 2012. Participating museums provided free or reduced admission and other special activities during this event, which is organized by the Smithsonian Magazine. Many of Utah's museums are free every day.
CLICK HERE for more information on Utah's Celebrate Your Museum Day.
Museum Certification
The 2008 State Legislature enacted a bill creating a Certified Utah Museum designation. Museums must be certified to be eligible for Arts & Museum grants. Certified Utah Museums pay a reduced $65 rate for their annual Charitable Solicitations Permit.
Performance Goals
The museum performance goals program encourages museums to become more professional through a self study that covers eight vital museum programs: purpose and stucture, staff, finance, facilities, collections and conservation, exhibitions, education and public relations.
Museum Grants
Grants are awarded to nonprofit Utah museums for collections care, exhibition, marketing, and education projects. Scholarships to attend the Utah Museums Association Conference are awarded to small museums for staff and volunteers.
For information on Utah Arts & Museums grants programs, please click HERE. Information about regional and national opportunities can be found on our MuseOps page.
Museum Training Scholarships
Distance-education museum studies scholarships will not be awarded spring 2013 because Utah State University will not be offering the classes.
Museum Interpretation Initiative
The Museum Interpretation Initiative: Telling Our Stories (MII) program is designed to assist Utah's small museums in telling their stories through a state-wide series of free regional workshops. Hands-on training in best practice collection research, exhibit development, and interpretation techniques gives museum staff and volunteers the knowledge, skills and resources to create their own interpretive exhibits. The Utah Humanities Council administers the Museum Interpretation Initiative. Click HERE for more information.
The Certificate of Museum Practice recognizes museum professionals' and volunteers' investment in their professional development. This stand alone museum studies certificate is recognized by Utah Arts & Museums and the Utah Museums Association. Utah State University is no longer offering distance education museum studies courses and a new way to offer the training is under review.
Utah Museum Services Survey
Utah Arts & Museums conducts annual surveys to collect information on museums' growth, development and value. Results are posted online, made available to the museum community, shared with legislators, and used for planning.
Survey Results
Toolkits
Visit our museum resources and nonprofit organization resources for a wealth of information on topics of interest to museums.