Park City Museum

When the weather is questionable, and you need an indoor activity on your Utah vacation, visit the Park City Museum.

It opened forty years ago and was initially known as the Park City Historical Society. The nonprofit worked to preserve, protect, and promote the city and region's history. When you visit, you can explore the City Hall, constructed in 1885, just a year after the city's founding. Since then, the building has housed the police and fire departments, the territorial jail, and city government offices.

In 1898, the Great Fire roared through the city, significantly damaging many buildings, including City Hall. The rebuilding began and is on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1901, the community added the Whistle Tower to work to warn citizens of fires.

In 2009, an $8.9 million restoration project extended the building allowing for 130,000 visitors annually. After the 2022 Winter Olympics, when tourism increased, the community recognized the value of letting the museum showcase the region. In just ten days during the Olympics, the Park City Museum saw 25,000 visitors!

The museum also houses the Education & Collections Center, a gathering place for lectures and special events, and historical items that remain in storage.

The final component of the museum is Glenwood Cemetery, a 5-acre historic resting place for the city's first families. And because it is in the Park City Main Street Historic District, you can combine shopping and dining with a museum visit.

Today, visitors can walk through the Park City Museum to encounter various exhibits. The immersive experience is entertaining and educational, making it a top attraction on a Utah vacation.

Park City: Fun Facts & Cool Features

While tours are self-guided, you can book a guided tour with a month's advance notice. Rest assured that the facility is ADA-accessible, with unique opportunities for school and youth groups. The museum hosts various events throughout the year, including a historic home and summer walking tours, along with guest speakers.

The museum has numerous permanent exhibits and others that change often. One of the more popular permanent exhibits centers around the discovery of silver in 1868. This immersive display tells how mine owners made fortunes while miners barely made a living.

Mega Mine and the Days of Ore are extensions of the mining exhibit. They offer hands-on activities highlighting what a silver mine looks like and artifacts that tell the story of the men who mined silver.

The Kimball Stagecoach is another photo opportunity during your visit. The replicated stagecoach takes center stage in the museum, and the lifesize statues add authenticity. Equally impressive is the recreated railcar, which you can enter and watch a short film about the city and the frontier West.

Another highlight is exploring the territorial jail in the basement of City Hall. Numerous wanted posters and stories of dangerous criminals are on display there. When you've worked up an appetite, meander to Maxwell's for some East Coast pizza and brews.

The Skier Subway Theater offers a creative look into Park City's transformation over time. You'll climb into a Skier Subway, which once transported people to the top of the mountains, and watch a short film. The movie explains how the city evolved from a mining to a skiing town.

Add Park City Museum to your Utah to-do list for a fun-filled day of learning and exploring the past. 

Getting There

Here are directions to the Park City Museum:

• Start at the intersection of Main Street and Heber Avenue.
• Head south on Main Street.
• Walk for approximately 0.2 miles.
• The Park City Museum is on your right.
• Address: 528 Main Street, Park City, Utah 84060

Cost

Below are the costs you can expect at the Park City Museum:

• Adults (18+): $15
• Children (17 and under): Free
• Seniors/students/military: $11