Guided Tours

For regular visits to the museum, the gallery does not require a guide. However, if you would like to schedule a tour with a guide, we are happy to book tours for school, adult, scout, home school and other groups.

The museum offers guided tours of the museum and downtown Green River. We look forward to seeing you!

Our two tours, outlined below, can be tailored to a specific area of interest. Maximum capacity for each tour is approximately 25 people. For school groups, we generally do a combination of the following tours to accommodate large numbers. Guided tours are available Tuesday-Friday. We may be able to schedule a special tour on other days depending upon staff availability.

• Museum Tour: The museum gallery contains artifacts, pictures, and information pertaining to the history of Sweetwater County, from the prehistoric era through recent history. From a dinosaur footprint to a full size coal car, there’s plenty see and experience in the museum gallery.
• Downtown Tour: The museum is located in the Green River Downtown Historic district and the original town site. Just blocks from historic hotel, mercantile, saloon, and railroad buildings, this downtown walking tour will take you back in time. Remember to hold on to your hat as we ascend the ramp to the rail yard viaduct and watch the trains run under your feet!

Please call 307-872-6435 to arrange a tour. For large groups, it is advisable that you call at least two weeks in advance of your desired tour date. Please have the following information ready when you call:

• Number of participants
• Age group
• Special requests (railroad history, mining history, etc.)
• Special needs

* Please note that tours are available in English only.

Outreach

Please contact our Public Engagement Coordinator to schedule tours, school visits, or other programs. Schools, families, and other groups are welcome. Call 307-872-6435. For content you can access right now from home, please see our Digital Outreach page. 

School Outreach

The museum has an exciting Education Kit program including one about history and cultural diversity in Rock Springs. These are designed not to have a require a staff member and to be used at the educator's convienence. Get more information on it here.

See our Elementary School Back to School Newsletter here

See our Middle School Back to School Newsletter here

See our High School Back to School Newsletter here

Pre-school Outreach

The museum has a fun program on animals designed just for preschool classrooms! Participants explore several animals including a buffalo pelt, while exploring ideas like "Big/Little", "Inside/Outside", and "Hard/Soft". If you are interested in bringing this program to your preschool contact us at 307-872-6435.

If there is another topic you would like to see a program developed for please let us know and we will see what we can do!

3rd Grade History Fair

The museum has reimagined their traditional 3rd grade history tours and created an interactive History Fair that incorporates hands-on activities to bring history alive. It usually occurs the second week of May. The preliminary dates for this year's event are May 9-12, 2023.  If you are interested in volunteering for this year's history fair-no previous experience required-contact the museum at 307-872-6435, or stop by.

All other grades may request a traditional gallery or downtown tour by contacting us and scheduling a tour time.

Classroom Outreach

We offer in person and digital outreach to multiple age groups for schools in both Sweetwater County School Disctricts. If you are looking for a particular topic for your class please let us know, and we will see if we can produce a resource for you. All of these programs can be given virtually or in person. These programs can also be adapted for scout groups and more. More information on each program can be found on our YouTube channel, there are trailers for some of our more popular programs.

Homeschool Outreach

We offer in person programs to multiple age groups for homsechooled families throughout Sweetwater County. If you are looking for a particular topic for your students please let us know, and we will see if we can produce a resource for you. These programs are typically given in the museum's onsite classroom space. These programs can also be adapted for scout groups and more. More information on each program can be found on our YouTube channel, there are trailers for some of our more popular programs.

Please note there is a homeschool slot for the 3rd Grade History Fair so please let us know if your students would like to participate.

Some common topics for presentations include:

• Cold War at Home (typically for older students)
  • See YouTube trailer here
• Sweetwater County Animals (typically for younger students)
• How the Rock Cycle helped decide how Native American communities lived 
• Chinese New Year
• Adobe Brick Making 
  • This class involves getting very messy with mud, the museum will bring everything needed
• Basket Weaving
• Sweetwater County History overview
• Lake Gosiute and Trona
• Dinosaurs and other Ancient Creatures
  • In person presentation includes a dinosaur bone
  • See general lesson plan here
• Westward Expansion
  • An education kit, and youtube video(here) are also available on this subject
• Sheepherding and wool
  • In person presentation involves a live carding and spinning demonstration
• John Wesley Powell
• The Fur Trade
  • In person presentation includes pelts and a role play section where students choose which items THEY might trade
• The evolution of hunting technology: Arrowheads to muskets and beyond
  • In person includes arrowhead casts and can include a "musket" loading activity (no gunpowder or real firearms are involved!)

If you do not see a topic you would like discussed please let us know and we would love to see if we can build a program that fits your needs.

Tours

The museum offers a number of tour options for interested groups of all ages. Time, topic, and age range can be adjusted your needs.

Tours options include:

• Green River Myths and Legends (originally designed for high school mythology students)
• Green River Downtown tour (covers many historic buildings throughout downtown)
• Museum gallery tour (can be offered virtually and in person)
  • can include explorable objects and can be targeted to different topics and ages

Adult Programs

Museum staff offer special programs on a variety of subjects to adult groups, such as retirement homes and service organizations. If you are interested in topics or booking a program, please contact the museum.

Volunteering

If you are interested in volunteering to help give any of the programs listed above please contact the museum at 307-872-6435, or stop by.

Off-site Exhibits

Sweetwater County is over 10,000 square miles. In order to better serve the entire community, the museum has developed several off-site exhibits around the county. Currently, we have exhibits at the Rock Springs airport, Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County, and the Superior community center. We are currently developing other off-site exhibits. Please check our news page regularly for updates. The Reliance Tipple, featured at left, is owned by the museum. This is one of only two coal tipples left in the state and is the only metal one. The tipple is not open to the public but there are interpretive signs around the exterior for more information about its history.

Exhibits

Our permanent exhibit explores Sweetwater County's story. It spans millions of years, beginning with an ancient lake with prehistoric life forms that later fueled the county's major industries such as coal and trona mining. The history is diverse and chronicles a long pattern of human occupation, beginning with the Shoshone and Ute tribes.

Later, the first Rocky Mountain Rendezvous marked the beginning of regular occupation by white settlers. The Oregon, California, Mormon, Overland, Cherokee, and Pony Express all passed through Sweetwater County. Some of those early newcomers helped spur the development of the county's towns and cities, including its two major population centers, Green River and Rock Springs. Green River was the major railroad town due to the nearness of a water supply, while Rock Springs became the coal mining center of the county.

Want to learn more? The museum’s exhibits offer hands-on learning experiences for children along with a more in-depth look at the county’s history and people. The museum also hosts a variety of temporary and traveling exhibits. Check our news, Calendar of Events, Outreach, and social media pages for updates.

Additionally, the museum has rotating exhibits in several off-site locations (see our Outreach section) and administers the Reliance Tipple, a historic structure used for sorting and loading coal onto railroad cars.

 The annual Quilt Exhibit, a partnership between the Sweetwater County Quilt Guild and the Sweewtater County Historical Museum, will be on display at the Sweetwater County Courthouse from March 1 until April 30.