A Chilling Reminder at the Natural History Museum
Walking through the Mysteries of the Ice Ages exhibit at the Natural History Museum of Utah feels like stepping into another world, one where glaciers ruled, mammoths roamed, and humans adapted to survive in extreme cold. It is also a reminder that Earth’s climate has always been in motion, and that we are now part of the story shaping its next chapter.
The exhibit, which spans 80,000 years of dramatic climate shifts, showcases how much ice has shaped life on our planet. Towering muskoxen, nimble caribou, and cunning wolves tell the story of adaptation and resilience. Ancient human artifacts from the Tuniit and Thule Inuit peoples reveal how communities thrived in harsh, frozen environments by crafting tools, clothing, and shelters suited for survival. You’ll also see reconstructions of Ice Age landscapes, maps showing glacial coverage across North America, along with explanations of how shifting ice sheets carved valleys, rerouted rivers, and created the Great Salt Lake basin itself.
It is impossible to stand in front of the massive models of Ice Age animals without thinking about today’s climate crisis. Back then, climate change unfolded over thousands of years and was driven by natural cycles. Now, human activity is driving rapid warming in just a few generations. The ice that once sculpted continents is melting at unprecedented rates, reshaping coastlines and ecosystems while threatening the survival of countless species, including our own.
There is also a powerful health connection here. The Ice Age reminds us that human survival depends on a stable climate. Shifts in temperature, weather patterns, and ecosystems directly affect the resources we need, including clean water, nutritious food, and safe shelter. As glaciers retreat and permafrost thaws, new challenges emerge such as disrupted food systems, increased spread of disease, and mental health stress from climate-related displacement. Rising sea levels and intensifying storms also threaten infrastructure, homes, and entire communities.
Still, there is hope woven into this story. Just as Ice Age humans found ingenious ways to endure, we too can adapt, but our challenge is to slow the pace of change. That means protecting natural spaces, supporting climate-smart policies, and strengthening our communities against extreme weather. Innovations in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and ecological restoration offer paths forward.
Leaving the exhibit, I was struck by a simple truth: the past is a teacher. The Ice Age shows us that climate shapes life in profound ways. Today, we have the knowledge and responsibility to shape a future where both people and the planet can thrive.
If you need a dose of awe, perspective, and perhaps a spark to take climate action, visit Mysteries of the Ice Ages. It is more than a history lesson. It is a call to protect the only home we have ever known.