Thanksgiving Point
The Museum of Natural Curiosity
In 2014, Thanksgiving Point opened the Museum of Natural Curiosity, a 45,000 square foot building built for families to explore. Inside is 400 interactive exhibits, including four main galleries—Rainforest, Water Works, Kidopolis, and the Discovery Garden. The Museum of Natural Curiosity is a LEED certified building. In its first year of existence nearly 700,000 guests visited the museum.
The Museum of Ancient Life
Exhibits at Thanksgiving Point's Museum of Ancient Life include some of the longest and tallest dinosaurs ever discovered. In all, the gigantic dinosaur museum houses more that 50 standing dinosaurs and more than 100 flying reptiles! The museum also features 50 hands-on exhibits for families to enjoy and learn together.
Butterfly Biosphere
See more than a thousand butterflies from around the world flitting in the Butterfly Biosphere. Catch them on your finger, feed them or just stand back in awe. This is Utah's sole butterfly conservatory and insectarium. Yep, there are also hundreds of insects working their ecosystem magic in the Discovery Zone.
Gift Shop & Restaurants
The Emporium is a 13,000 square foot gift shop with wonderful gift ideas, located in Thanksgiving Point’s Water Tower Plaza. The Harvest Restaurant features fine dining with a variety of fresh-from-the-garden American cuisine. Adjacent the Harvest Restaurant is the Tower Deli that features an old-fashioned ice cream shop and a wide variety of fresh sandwiches and salads.
The Gardens
The heart of Thanksgiving Point is a magnificent 55-acre park of spectacular theme gardens that debuted of summer of 2000. Each area in the Garden has an individual identity, like rooms in an estate. Visitors will be enchanted by a Rose Garden, Monet Garden, Italian Garden, Secret Garden, Butterfly Garden, vista Garden, Parterre Garden, the Largest Man-Made Waterfall and an outdoor atmosphere. Each spring 300,000 tulips are on display for the annual Tulip Festival. More than 100,000 guests visit the festival each year.
Thanksgiving Point exists as an expression of gratitude. It is founded on the belief that all things that come of the earth were created for the benefit and the use of man, to please the eye and gladden the heart, to strengthen the body and enlighten the mind. It promotes enjoyment of nature and invites all to experience beauty and education. The Thanksgiving Point is a non-profit organization. Its primary purpose is to provide a wholesome environment designed to educate and allow a safe haven where families can come and learn together.
An agricultural learning and discovery center, called Farm Country, is home to a charming animal park and demonstration vegetable garden. Large greenhouses and multiple classrooms allow growing and learning to continue throughout the year.
Surrounding Thanksgiving Point's gardens is an 18-hole championship golf course that has already received accolades from the golf world including Golf Digest, Golf Magazine and Links. The privately owned course is open to the public six days a week and takes reservations two weeks in advance.
Hours & Location
Thanksgiving Point is open six days a week, year-round. Closed on Sundays, New Year's Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Hours are seasonal and vary from venue to venue. It is located along I-15 between Salt Lake City and Provo. Take exit 287 off I-15 and travel west to Thanksgiving Way; 801-768-2300.
Thanksgiving Point | Photo Gallery
Thanksgiving Point