Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum

The Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum is a natural history museum on the Brigham Young University campus housing more than two million specimens across biological disciplines. The collection displays insects, plants, reptiles, fish, shells, and birds gathered from diverse regions and habitats.

The museum opened in 1978 when Seattle businessman Monte Lafayette Bean funded its construction and donated his extensive collection of animal specimens. This generous contribution established the foundation for one of the region's most significant natural science collections.

This institution serves as a place where visitors explore how different life forms connect and relate to one another through nature. The displays show how organisms function within their environments and depend on the larger natural world around them.

The museum sits on the university campus and is easy to reach on foot, with parking available nearby for visitors. It helps to arrive earlier in the day to avoid longer lines and larger crowds during peak hours.

The museum displays Shasta, a lion-tiger hybrid born in 1948 who spent decades of her life at Hogle Zoo before joining the collection. This remarkable animal represents a rare cross between two large wild cats that few people ever encounter.

Location: Provo

Opening Hours: Monday-Saturday 10:00-21:00; Sunday 10:00-17:00

Website: https://mlbean.byu.edu

GPS coordinates: 40.25343,-111.64733

Latest update: December 11, 2025 11:07