RETURN TO NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF UTAH

During our recent visit to Salt Lake City, we returned to the Natural History Museum of Utah, an facility located on the campus of the University of Utah.  The building is contemporary in style, perhaps reflecting the state's convoluted canyon structure.  Here is a shot of the building's main entrance that I rendered in black and white to emphasize the architectural lines.

The museum was featuring a very nice Viking artifact exhibit.  Here are some photos from that area.

The entry to this exhibit featured a beautifully rendered Viking boat.  I am sure it was simply a modern replica, but the boat's sweeping lines were very nice and the light from the side added to its drama.  Again, I thought this shot worked best as a black and white.

The museum included a section that featured live animals, designed to appeal to younger patrons, including our two grandsons.  A extremely large frog.

And a beaded lizard.

Lighting is always an issue in museums.  Light may appear adequate to visitors whose eyes have adjusted to the lessor amount of light, but the camera is not deceived, forcing the use of higher ISOs and greater apertures to compensate.  Glass cases can present their own problems, including reflections and smudges on the glass.

Utah is known for its dinosaur fossil deposits, and the museum reflects the state's prominence.  Here are a few photos of the museum's extensive dinosaur collection.

I think most of the skeletons are replicas, but the teeth in the last shot are real.

John