Prehistoric Museum Receives $20,000 for Paleontology Lab Enhancements

Price, Utah — Utah State University Eastern’s Prehistoric Museum has received a $20,000 boost to enhance its Paleontology Lab, thanks to the generosity of donors through an AggieFunded campaign. The funding will allow the lab to become safer and more efficient, supporting the work of students, volunteers and staff dedicated to preserving and studying Utah’s prehistoric past.

The idea for the fundraiser took shape following the hiring of Matthew Mers as the museum’s new lab and collections manager in 2024. Under the direction of Joshua Lively, curator of paleontology, Mers developed a vision for improving the fossil preparation lab, optimizing the use of its limited space while making it safer for workers.

“There are very few agencies that will provide funding for facility upgrades — most of the higher dollar grants fund new facilities,” Lively said. “With our operating budget and revenue from admissions and gift shop sales going toward museum operations, launching a community-driven fundraiser was the best way to make these upgrades a reality.”

The AggieFunded campaign saw widespread support, with over half of the donations coming from outside Utah. The funds will be used to enhance lab safety by installing a centralized dust extraction system to mitigate the dangers of silica dust exposure and relocating the air compressor outside the building to reduce long-term hearing damage caused by loud pneumatic tools. These improvements will create a healthier and more productive environment for fossil preparators.

Beyond its laboratory work, the Prehistoric Museum has gained recognition for its extensive research on Utah’s fossil history. Over the past year and a half, the museum’s team has prepared over 500 fossils from Gastonia, an armored dinosaur species, from the largest known concentration of ankylosaurs on the planet. This project, along with others currently underway, highlights the lab’s pivotal role in paleontological discoveries and education.

“The Prehistoric Museum was founded as a community venture more than 60 years ago, and community support remains at the heart of our mission,” Lively said. “From donating fossils to volunteering in the lab and field, our supporters have been instrumental in advancing our work and keeping Utah’s prehistoric discoveries accessible to the public.”

The lab’s work is far from over. Current research projects include preparing fossils from sites across Utah, including 215-million-year-old remains from the San Rafael Swell, newly discovered 75-million-year-old dinosaur fossils from the Book Cliffs near Green River, and marine reptile fossils from Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Each discovery contributes to a broader understanding of ancient ecosystems and helps maintain Utah’s reputation as a critical hub for paleontology.

Fundraisers like this are vital to advancing paleontological research in Eastern Utah. With limited state and federal funding, donations help sustain lab operations and ensure that

important fossil discoveries remain within local communities rather than being sent to institutions elsewhere.

“The fossil resources in Carbon, Emery and Grand counties are among the most significant in North America,” Lively said. “By funding our lab and collections program, we’re taking the first step in keeping these resources here, to be studied and shared with our communities.”

Although the recent fundraising campaign has concluded, community members can continue to support the museum by donating through the USU Eastern website, becoming museum members, or volunteering their time in the lab and in the field on museum expeditions.

For more information about the museum, upcoming research projects, or ways to get involved, visit eastern.usu.edu/prehistoric-museum.