Museum of the San Rafael

Location: 96 North 100 East, Castle Dale, Utah
Hours: Open 10 A.M. to 4 P.M.

Visitors who step in the Museum of the San Rafael will find the world at their fingertips. From wild animals hiding in the bushes to Native American artifacts, the museum brings the hidden mysteries of the desert to view.

"This is a very unique museum. If you have heard about the San Rafael, you don't want to miss it. There is something for everyone," added Jan Petersen the museum's executive director.

Highlights of the museum include award-winning taxidermy displays of wildlife found in the San Rafael area, a room showing minerals under ultraviolet lights, Native American artifacts, and dinosaur skeletons.

The museum is a meaningful stop for both locals and visitors. "There are a lot of international travelers that come to visit our area. I don't think anyone goes away disappointed. For example, I just received a letter from a man who lives in New Zealand. He came to visit the museum while he was on vacation. He wrote us to say how impressed he was," Petersen said.

Volunteers at the museum offer free tours or patrons can enjoy the museum at their own pace. From paleontology hall to the great exhibit hall, visitors will surely want to see it all.

The Museum of the San Rafael is a center of the community. "I have always loved history, trying to preserve it and working in the museum. I really take a lot of pride in this museum," Peterson explained.

For more information call (435) 381-5252.

Learn about the exhibits in the Museum of the San Rafael

Dinosaurs
The Museum of the San Rafael will reveal secrets to you, secrets hidden from casual outdoor observers. Only those who have searched the rugged hills of Emery County for fossils have known the wonders displayed in the museum's William Lee Stokes Hall. A replica of a fossilized dinosaur egg believed to contain an embryo, the skeletons of Allosaurus, Chasmosaurus, and Alpertosaurus, the great skull of Tyrannosaurus Rex - all tell the story of a past world long buried in the soils of the present. Giant footprints, claws, teeth and bones speak of creatures that vanished millions of years ago but left their remains to excite the curiosity of humankind.

Early Humans
Within the inner circles of the Museum of the San Rafael's Great Exhibit Hall are traces of a people who flourished in the San Rafael area, then vanished. The Fremont Indians left behind only implements of daily living and their art painted and pecked on the cliffs. Some of the most unique archaeological finds in the U.S. have been found in the caves and rock ledges of Emery County. Scientists have studied the artifacts hoping to probe the mysteries of the ancient culture. Skilled artisans shaped the baskets, pots projectile points, yucca ropes and leather bundles. What became of these people? The Museum of the San Rafael holds the clues.

Wild Animals
A venture into the mountains and deserts of Emery County is bound to bring you into the world of nature, but few people are observant enough to see all that nature holds. In the outer circle of the Museum of the San Rafael's Great Exhibit Hall, you can see animals in their natural habitat, animals you may never come near in a lifetime. Each animal is an exquisite example of the art of taxidermy. Whether a majestic bull elk, a huge mountain lion giving chase to a buck deer, or the snakes and lizards of the San Rafael Swell, each display shows in detail the beauty of nature's creatures. Nearby, your children can indulge their need to touch at a display created especially for them.