By Aidan Mortensen | KOAL News

An AggieFunded campaign in December that aimed to raise money to renovate the fossil prep lab at the Utah State University Eastern Prehistoric Museum found mass success, as the community showed up in spades, raising $19,495.

“This is where we prep fossils that are coming in from out of the field that are still covered in rock and mud and get them ready for research and exhibit,” said Dr. Josh Lively, curator of paleontology at the museum, in an interview with Castle Country Radio. 

The USU Eastern Prehistoric Museum is one of six museums by the American Alliance of Museums in Utah – and the only one located in rural Utah – and as such, it is one of the premier locations for fossil research in the state.

In a release from USU, Lively explained, “There are very few agencies that will provide funding for facility upgrades – most of the higher-dollar grants fund new facilities. 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 funds raised from this campaign will fund several safety improvements for the lab, including an improved dust extraction system to remove silica dust and the relocation of the lab’s air compressor outside the building.

“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.”

For more information on the USU Eastern Prehistoric Museum, visit its website at eastern.usu.edu/prehistoric-museum/.

*Image Courtesy of Utah State University Eastern