The 3 Best Museums or Galleries Around Utah County

Museums and galleries are more than places to quietly shuffle through on a rainy day—they’re living spaces where curiosity, creativity, and wonder collide. Utah Valley is home to institutions that spark imagination across every age group, offering hands-on science adventures, fine art exhibitions, and everything in between. Whether you're chasing knowledge, beauty, or just a great selfie backdrop, these local favorites make sure you leave a little more inspired than you arrived.

Springville Museum of Art

The Springville Museum of Art holds the distinction of being Utah’s oldest visual arts museum, but it refuses to be stuck in the past. According to its website, the museum focuses on supporting contemporary Utah artists alongside a robust collection of 20th-century American art and Russian Impressionism. The Spanish Colonial Revival building itself, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is worth a visit even before you step through the doors. Inside, rotating exhibitions and community events keep the space fresh and welcoming. Whether you’re an art connoisseur or just someone who appreciates a well-lit room full of creativity, the Springville Museum of Art gives visitors a sense of both history and momentum.

Museum of Natural Curiosity at Thanksgiving Point

At the Museum of Natural Curiosity, learning looks suspiciously like playing. Part of the Thanksgiving Point complex in Lehi, the museum offers more than 400 interactive exhibits spread across themed areas like Rainforest, Water Works, and Kidopolis. According to their site, this hands-on destination encourages kids—and the adults trying to keep up with them—to engage with science, engineering, and storytelling in fun, accessible ways. It’s one of the few places where scaling a ropes course and digging for fossils are considered equally valid forms of education.

Bean Life Science Museum

The Bean Life Science Museum at Brigham Young University combines serious academic research with public exhibits that are anything but dry. The museum is known for its extensive displays of preserved animal specimens, educational programs, and themed exhibits exploring biodiversity and conservation. Highlights include the Africa Gallery, the Under the Sea exhibit, and live animal shows that regularly draw school groups and families alike. It’s a place where science isn’t just read about—it’s experienced, often with a few surprising facts you’ll want to immediately text to a friend.

Thanks, ChatGPT.