2009 Scenic Byway Award Winner - Interpretation

Uinta Fossil Journey Film
Byway:	Flaming Gorge-Uintas Scenic Byway
State: 	Utah

Engaging Audiences Through A Theater And Film
The Utah Field House of Natural History State Park 
Museum in Vernal, Utah has successfully served as the portal and orientation center for the 
Flaming Gorge-Uintas Scenic Byway since the byway’s creation in 1998. In 2004, the State of Utah 
completed a new museum there. The new facility offers visitors an eleven-minute orientation film, 
“Uinta Fossil Journey,” emphasizing experiences in surrounding public lands. 

The film follows a day in the life of paleontologists and interweaves scientific concepts with 
the processes of discovery. It succinctly communicates information about the area’s intrinsic 
qualities—diverse scenic, geological and recreational resources, as well as ancient and modern 
wildlife. The theater is staged with murals, a truck, large crates and accessories mimicking a 
paleontology expedition.

The National Scenic Byways Program grant funded the film and theater, and funds from private and 
public sectors secured other project components. Visitors encounter current, accurate, educational, 
scientific and engaging experiences of the Uinta Mountain region through this effective film and 
its theater. The project enhanced the museum’s role as the byway portal and orientation center.