The Leonardo announces opening day

The Leonardo is a new kind of museum that will blend elements from science, technology and art to engage visitors’ curiosity in exploring big questions and current topics. The museum will present subjects in new ways, encouraging visitors to tap into their own innovative potential and tackle challenges, discover unexpected opportunities, and use their own creativity to help make and change what happens inside.

“This is an exciting time,” said Peter Giles, The Leonardo’s Executive Director. “We have been working toward this day for many years, and look forward to sharing our vision with the residents of Utah and the region. I am well acquainted with science and technology centers in the Unites States and elsewhere and have been personally involved in three different centers,” said “The people of Utah are in for something special. Visitors to The Leonardo should put away their old expectations, and come ready to experience something new; something that has never been done quite this way before.  Each student, family, group of friends, couple and young person who walks through this door will be part of a new venture that will help redefine the way we see and engage with museums.”

“The Leonardo will add a new dimension to Library Square, bringing even more energy and excitement to our urban setting,” said Mayor Ralph Becker. “I fully anticipate The Leonardo will become a major destination for residents and visitors, reinforcing Salt Lake City’s role as the cultural core of our region.”

The Leonardo is already well on its way to opening the museum:

New Model: The Leonardo’s first-of-its-kind model is based on best practices developed in science, technology, art and education centers over the last 20-plus years, combined with contemporary tools and approaches.  The result is a unique range of experiences, allowing visitors to explore the world in unexpected ways and, ultimately, discover surprising things about themselves. Following is a sampling of what visitors will encounter at opening:

Supporting Education and Economic Vitality:  The Leonardo expects to welcome about 20,000 field trip students from across the state and region each school year for hands-on learning experiences that support core curriculum standards, critical thinking skills, and inform career decisions. The Leonardo will also offer workshops, classes and special events specifically designed for young people and adult audiences.

An Urban Gathering Space:  Located in the heart of Utah’s urban core and right at the Library Square TRAX stop The Leonardo anchors the south end of Salt Lake City’s new civic and cultural center, which also includes an award-winning library and an outdoor plaza, where people of all ages and backgrounds gather year-round for social and cultural happenings.

The idea for a multidisciplinary center that brings science, art, culture and technology together has been nurtured by Utah leaders for many years.  In 1989, Salt Lake County and Governor Norm Bangerter initiated a study to explore the feasibility of a science center in Utah.  Dr. Robert Olpin, then-dean of the University of Utah’s College of Fine Arts, and a member of the study group, first used “The Leonardo” to describe a place that combined elements from art, science and technology. In 1993 and again in 2001, the Utah State Legislature foresaw a center that would “foster the development of science, technology, engineering, arts, tourism, culture and educational facilities to further the welfare of the citizens of the state and its economic growth.” (HB77)

When Salt Lake City voters passed a multimillion dollar bond in 1998 to build a new library, city leaders asked groups from the community to propose new ways to re-use the beloved old library building.  In 2001, the mayor and city council announced two art groups and a science center headed by as the new tenants and charged them with creating a compelling educational and cultural center to complement the new library. These entities came together under the working name “The Leonardo” to explore joint fundraising and programming opportunities.

In 2003, The Leonardo launched a science outreach program—The Leo on Wheels—which serves about 14,000 middle and junior high school students each year.  The museum opened temporarily in 2005 to stage Exodos, a photography exhibit by Sebastião Salgado’s. The Leonardo underwent significant transformations over the years, and in 2008, consolidated into one organization with a single board, executive team and vision. That same year, the museum hosted BODY WORLDS. The exhibition attracted almost 300,000 visitors in just four months, exceeding the exhibition owners’ expectations. 

Since the end of the BODY WORLDS exhibition, The Leonardo has been closed for renovations. Work on the city-owned building has been funded by a $10 million voter-approved bond and other funds dedicated to seismic and systems upgrades, and other structural work.