Natural History Museum of Utah brings ‘Soil Stories’ traveling exhibit to Hurricane

Promotional image courtesy of the Natural History Museum of Utah, St. George News

CONTRIBUTED CONTENT — Hurricane is the latest stop for the Natural History Museum of Utah’s “Soil Stories” traveling exhibit, featuring the untold stories of the earth beneath us. The exhibit, which is free and open to the public, will be on display at Zions Bank’s Hurricane branch, located 279 W. State Street, during regular bank hours through May 2 as part of its multi-county tour across Utah. 

Promotional image courtesy of the Natural History Museum of Utah, St. George News

Additionally, the public is invited to a free Community Science Night on Tuesday, May 2 from 4:30-7 p.m. at Zions Bank’s Hurricane branch. The community event will include six outdoor stations, hands-on activities and touchable specimens.  

Soil Stories highlights the uniqueness of soil, which is often taken for granted. The exhibit’s six cases unveil the process and players who make, enrich and survive in soil, including the following: 

  • Soil samples and soil crusts from across Utah. 
  • Insect specimens and small vertebrates.  
  • Indigenous farming tools, artifacts and pottery. 
  • Paleosol: where it’s found and why it matters. 

“Traveling Treasures has made many stops in Southern Utah over the years,” said William Mullin, manager of Zions Bank’s Hurricane branch. “The museum always does a great job making science and history accessible.” 

Visitors will learn that soils vary in color, texture and smell, and that the organisms that inhabit soil – like cicadas – are just as interesting. One exhibit shows the indigenous farming practices that allowed Utah’s original peoples to thrive in an arid climate, while another highlights the importance of corn, beans and squash and their role in the soil. 

“In my work studying insects, I have always been fascinated by soil,” said Christy Bills, the museum’s entomology collections manager. “Invertebrates such as beetles, ants and snails enrich soil and play a large role in sustaining all kinds of ecosystems in surprising ways.” 

For more than 20 years, the Natural History Museum of Utah and Zions Bank have partnered to bring natural history collections and research to Utah’s diverse communities. Each year, a team of educators, exhibit designers, bankers and museum volunteers create a new traveling exhibit that explores a unique aspect of natural history in the state, region and beyond. 

For additional details about future Traveling Treasures stops and locations, click here

Promotional image courtesy of the Natural History Museum of Utah, St. George News

About Zions Bank 

Zions Bank is Utah’s oldest financial institution and is the only local bank with a statewide distribution of branches, operating 95 full-service branches. The bank also operates 26 branches in Idaho and Wyoming. In addition to offering a wide range of traditional banking services, Zions Bank is also a market leader in small business lending.

Founded in 1873, Zions Bank has been serving the communities of Utah for 150 years. Additional information is available at ZionsBank.com. A division of Zions Bancorporation N.A., Member FDIC. 

About the Natural History Museum of Utah 

The Natural History Museum of Utah is one of the leading scientific research and cultural institutions in the country. Established in 1963, the museum’s 10 permanent exhibitions are anchored by its state-of-the-art collections and research facilities containing more than 1.6 million objects. These collections are used in studies on geological, biological and cultural diversity, and the history of living systems and human cultures within the Utah region.

The museum hosts approximately 300,000 general visitors a year and provides one of the most spectacular private event settings in the Salt Lake City area. It also broadens the reach of its mission through a variety of science-based outreach programs to communities and schools throughout Utah, reaching every school district in the state every other year.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

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