Moab Museum holds first exhibit after renovation

The newly-renovated Moab Museum is opening its doors to guests for a special exhibit, “Howard Balsley: A Life on Paper.”

The exhibit presents the story of Howard Balsley, often referred to as the father of uranium mining on the Colorado Plateau. The exhibit tells its story through photos, original correspondence and ephemera from a formative time in Moab’s history, some on loan from the Balsley family.

Balsley moved to Moab around 1908 and was highly involved in local politics and culture, winning the town’s first Citizen of the Year award and once being elected mayor (though he declined to serve as he was the clerk/auditor). He promoted uranium mining in southeastern Utah long before the 1950s boom.

To welcome guests while slowing the spread of COVID-19, the Moab Museum is offering one-hour viewing appointments for groups of ten or fewer from Oct. 20 to Nov. 13. To make an appointment, call 435-355-0918 or email info@moabmuseum.org.

The Moab Museum launched a major renovation of the existing museum and a major overhaul of its exhibits in 2017, focusing on using artifacts to tell stories from across the Colorado Plateau. The revamped museum was scheduled to reopen its doors on April 1, but was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The museum continues to hold its Tuesdays With the Museum events online and offer items and oral histories from their archive online at www.moabmuseum.org.

Viewing is by appointment