Our Collections

The Museums at Union Station's collection of over 50,000 objects, images, and documents. It includes:

  • paintings & sculpture
  • architecture
  • decorative & industrial arts
  • archives & manuscripts
  • library & reference material
  • photographs & prints
  • costumes & textiles

While the Museum holds approximately 50,000 objects in its collection many of them are used in support of our special exhibitions, and not all of them can be on view at once. Work is underway to provide visitors online access to our collections.

How Do We Manage Our Collections?

The Museums at Union Station is committed to the safe and ethical management of our collection items. As such, we follow the museum field's highest standards for care of our collection, guided by best museum practice defined by the American Alliance of Museums and compliance with state and federal law. We have defined this commitment in our officially approved Collections Management Protocol, which defines what we collect, how we collect it, and how we take care of items in our care. 

What Do We Collect?

We collect objects that advance the Museum's mission. We collect objects from the year 1800 to the present that reflect Ogden's history or Utah's railroading history. This can include:

  • Life in Ogden: the stories of the people who have lived in Ogden.
  • Work in Ogden: the local businesses, entrepreneurship, and economic trends that have influenced our city.
  • Governance in Ogden: how local Ogdenites have led in local, state, and national government and societal change.
  • Built Environment in Ogden: the choices Ogdenites have made to use the land, resources, and space in our city.
  • Individuals and Ideas in Ogden: we document the art, literature, music, philosophy, scientific and technological developments, and other noteworthy accomplishments by Ogdenites.

As the Utah State Railroad Museum, we document:

  • Railroad history in the state of Utah
  • Labor on the railroad in the state of Utah
  • The culture, lifestyle, and documentation of railroading in the state of Utah.

Together, our objects help us to preserve and tell the history of this area and our phenomenal impact on the world around us today.

How Do We Care for Our Collection?

We practice preventative conservation to tackle the agents of deterioration in our collection. We have processes in place to prevent, minimize, detect and mitigate threats including fire, water, pests, incorrect temperature and humidity, and disassociation. We make it a priority to document and record our collection, and we keep comprehensive records of our collection's history, condition, use, and locations to best serve the public.

Learn More:

We've created these slides to guide you through our full policy, for context and ease of understanding. Access them here: Guide to the Collections Management Protocol

You can access the full policy here: Collections Management Protocol

This policy was formally approved by the Museums at Union Station's governing authorities on August 28, 2024.