What will you find at the museum?

SCIENCE

Rocks & Minerals

The museum was founded to remember the mining and smelting history of Tooele. As part of that mission, we have obtained a rock and mineral collection. We have a permanent exhibit about the various minerals found in Tooele County, and an activity station that teaches how to identify rocks and minerals.

Steam Power

We have a steam engine on our property that was part of the Tooele Valley Railway. We use it to teach about train history and about the power of steam.



HISTORY & CULTURE

Mining History

The first part of our collection is about mining history.  Workers at the International Smelter & Refining Co and the Tooele Valley Railway founded the museum and donated our first artifacts. Since then, the museum has collected many artifacts, photos, and documents about mining in the county. We always have an exhibit about the smelter and Carr Fork mine. We rotate artifacts into the gallery in special exhibits.

Military History

The second part of our collection is about the military. We have artifacts and photos that span from World War II to the present. Tooele County has a long military history. The military has been vital to the formation of the county. In return, the military history of the county has played a role in national and international history. We have a permanent display of military items in two Air Force rail cars on the property.

Building neighborhoods/Local Government

The third part of our historical collection is cultural history of the county. We have a collection of items from Tooele city and county government history. We use these materials to teach the fundamentals of local government and urban history. We are building a permanent exhibit for these items in the Station House on our property.

Exploring Different Cultures

Immigrants and migrants from a variety of backgrounds came together to build Tooele County.  Our museum tells the story of these different groups and the conflicts and compromises that led to creating a community.  We are building a permanent exhibit for these items in the Station House on our property.