Indoor Things to Do with Kids in Salt Lake City This Winter (2026)

Natural History Museum of Utah

Natural History Museum of Utah · 301 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84108.

Utah's state museum of natural history, in the Rio Tinto Center in the foothills above the city, with dinosaur fossils, native cultures, gems and minerals, and views across the valley.

Hours: Open 10 AM–5 PM every day and until 9 PM on Wednesdays. Last admission 30 minutes before closing.

Price: Adults $24.95; seniors 65+ $22.95; young adults 13–24 $22.95; children 3–12 $20.95; children 2 and under free.

Tips: The museum recommends buying tickets online; any discount has to be applied at the admission desk. Wednesday late hours (until 9 PM) are handy on short winter days.

Official source: Natural History Museum of Utah.

Discovery Gateway Children's Museum

Discovery Gateway Children's Museum · 444 W 100 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84101.

A hands-on children's museum at The Gateway downtown, with interactive exhibits, imaginative play spaces and daily STEAM and art lab programs.

Hours: Open Monday and Wednesday–Sunday 10 AM–6 PM. Closed Tuesdays. Quieter sensory-friendly hours Mondays 3–6 PM and Sundays 10 AM–12 PM.

Price: Children 1–17: $13.50 weekdays / $14.50 weekends. Adults 18–64: $16.50 weekdays / $18 weekends. Seniors 65+: $13.50 / $14.50.

Tips: SNAP, EBT or WIC cardholders get discounted admission ($2 per child, $10 per adult) at the desk. No food, gum or drinks inside the museum. Children under 16 must be with an adult 18 or older.

Official source: Discovery Gateway Children's Museum.

Clark Planetarium

Clark Planetarium · 110 S 400 W, Salt Lake City, UT 84101.

Salt Lake County's planetarium next to The Gateway, with free space-science exhibits plus the 360-degree Hansen Dome Theatre and a Northrop Grumman IMAX theatre.

Hours: Sunday–Thursday 9:30 AM–8 PM; Friday–Saturday 9:30 AM–11 PM. Check the site for temporary changes (the main elevator is out of service for about four days from Nov 16).

Price: Exhibits: free (per the planetarium). Dome and IMAX show tickets: Not posted on the main page.

Tips:

Official source: Clark Planetarium (Salt Lake County).

The City Library: Main Library

The City Library: Main Library · 210 E 400 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84111.

The City Library's landmark downtown branch, with a five-story, light-filled Children's Library and two story-and-play rooms tucked under the plaza's reflecting pool, including Grandmother's Attic.

Hours: Monday–Thursday 10 AM–8 PM; Friday–Saturday 10 AM–6 PM; Sunday 11 AM–5 PM. Family Storytime in the Story Room on Saturdays (next: Sat, Nov 14, 10:15–10:45 AM).

Price: Free.

Tips: Family Storytime is stories, rhymes and fun for the whole family; check slcpl.org for each week's date. Virtual storytimes are posted at slcpl.org.

Official source: Salt Lake City Public Library.

Loveland Living Planet Aquarium

Loveland Living Planet Aquarium · 12033 Lone Peak Pkwy, Draper, UT 84020.

A large indoor aquarium in Draper with ocean, rainforest and Utah habitats, touch pools and included EECO Voyager rides.

Hours: Monday 10 AM–8 PM; Tuesday–Sunday 10 AM–6 PM. Hours can change for special events, including the Aquarium Lantern Festival evenings.

Price: Tickets start at $17.95 and prices vary by demand; children 3–12 save $5 and teens, students, seniors and military save $3; children 2 and under free.

Tips: About 20 miles south of downtown Salt Lake City, in Draper. Buy ahead: the aquarium says prices only go up closer to the date.

Official source: Loveland Living Planet Aquarium.

Utah's Hogle Zoo

Utah's Hogle Zoo · 2600 E Sunnyside Ave, Salt Lake City, UT 84108.

The zoo is open 10 AM–5 PM in winter with winter pricing. The zoo says indoor and heated habitats make a chilly visit easier.

Official source: Utah's Hogle Zoo.

Sources

• Natural History Museum of Utah
• Discovery Gateway Children's Museum
• Clark Planetarium (Salt Lake County)
• Salt Lake City Public Library
• Loveland Living Planet Aquarium
• Utah's Hogle Zoo