The Pioneer Memorial Museum, operated by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, houses one of the largest collections of pioneer artifacts in the American West. The four-story building near the State Capitol contains thousands of items brought by hand across the plains: furniture, tools, clothing, documents, and domestic objects that belonged to the Mormon pioneers who settled Utah from 1847 onward.
The collection is idiosyncratic and extensive — everything from wagons and guns to bonnets and baby shoes. It is more of an archive than a designed museum experience, but for anyone interested in the material culture of the overland migration, the depth and variety of what is here is remarkable. Admission is free.