Museums and Galleries

Salt Lake City is home to the Intermountain West's largest collection of world art, which can be found at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts on the University of Utah campus.

The Salt Lake Art Center showcases a changing array of contemporary works by local, regional, and international artists. (Modern sculpture buffs will particularly enjoy the close up view of Dale Chihuly's Olympic Tower—1,119 soaring pieces of red glass—found next door in Abravanel Hall).

Meanwhile, the downtown area boasts numerous eclectic small galleries, representing a wide spectrum of artistic media and expressions. For a really fun way to explore the city's visual art scene, join Salt Lake City's local art community for the monthly Gallery Stroll.

To combine art and history, visit the Museum of Utah Art and History, The Chase Home Museum of Folk Art, or The Museum of Church History and Art. The collections here highlight city and state history from pioneer settlement to the present day.

Music

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is probably Salt Lake City's most famous "artistic resident." The choir's impeccably glorious sounds can be heard for free every Thursday evening and Sunday morning. All are welcome to come, listen, and enjoy.

The 2,800 seat Abravanel Hall houses Utah Symphony and Utah Opera. The building was designed strictly as a concert hall, and is acoustically remarkable. The stage has no proscenium - rather, it is an extension of the audience - giving an intimate feel to opera and symphony performances.

Dance

The Rose Wagner Performing Arts Theatre includes a 500-seat theatre and orchestra pit, and offers a full calendar of contemporary performing arts. The internationally acclaimed Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company and The Repertory Dance Theatre regularly present works of distinguished modern dance choreographers, as well as original works from emerging choreographers.

The art of classical dance is also alive and well in Salt Lake. Ballet West is the sixth-largest ballet company in the country and attracts professional dancers from all over the world. For aspiring juniors, the Children's Dance Theatre offers workshops and performances for young dancers.

Theater

Lovers of theatre will find plenty to delight them, too. Hale Center Theatre performs first-class musicals and comedies that are fun for the entire family. The Pioneer Theatre Company, Salt Lake Acting Company, and Plan-B Theatre Company have developed reputations for excellent, thought-provoking productions. And Kingsbury Hall and The Capitol Theatre are the stages of choice for Broadway and Off-Broadway traveling productions (at a fraction of Broadway ticket prices!)

Festivals

Utah's writers are receiving national acclaim for their work, and The Utah Humanities Book Festival brings talented authors and audiences together for a week-long literary feast under the curved glass walls of the Salt Lake City Public Library. In addition, Salt Lake City's numerous coffee shops and bookstores host readings of local and regional authors year-round.

Film buffs already know that Utah is home to the world-famous Sundance Film Festival. But what they may not know is that Salt Lake City offers mainstream film entertainment as well as Sundance premieres and showings of independent films in theaters around the city.