DAVIS COUNTY—Museums are a very unique spot in any community. They can be hidden treasures that even longtime residents don’t know about, popular hotspots of local activity, or even a great stop-by during a road trip or vacation. From history and art to botanical centers and more, the Utah Museum Association (UMA) has been celebrating them all for Utah Museum Month.

In a first-of-its-kind event, the UMA is endeavoring to get people out and visit the museums in their community, and around the state of Utah, “We have nearly 300 museums in the state,” said Ruth White, UMA Executive assistant, “I love all of them!”

While generally speaking the UMA dedicated itself to supporting museums themselves, encouraging networking and development, White elaborated that Utah Museum Month does just that by “build(ing) the capacity of museums, and help(ing) museums serve the community.”

But, what is Utah Museum Month? The concept is relatively simple but important at the same time: people can visit the UMA website, and pick up a Utah Museum Passport. This passport has a comprehensive list of museums across the state, and, once someone has visited at least five different museums anywhere in Utah, they can apply for a free sticker from the UMA.

With nearly 300 options, the choice of which museum to visit can seem a little daunting, but, thanks to a partnership with the Utah Division of Arts and Museums, a complete list of Utah museums is available online at https://artsandmuseums.utah.gov/, which includes the 17 options here in Davis County.

“Museums create a great value to the community,” said White, listing just a few of the amazing places in Davis, saying, “How can you go wrong?” and she is right! With options like the Bountiful Davis Art Center, complete with outstanding pieces of local art, and Fielding Garr Ranch which blends both the historical aspects of Antelope Island and the living, breathing bison herd, there’s a little something for everyone in Davis.

With more options than there are days in July, there are plenty of places to visit across the state, and more than enough to learn for adults and children alike. Time is running out, however, as Utah Museum Month ends when July does. However, Ruth White hopes that, while this is the first Utah Museum month, it won’t be the last.

If residents are interested in participating in Utah Museum Month in 2023, and the passport program from the UMA, they need look no further than https://www.utahmuseums.org/.