Citizen Science

You don’t need to be a scientist to participate in science. Throughout history, important discoveries about the natural world have been made by citizen scientists—like you—with a keen eye for observation and a passion for nature.

Join one of the NHMU’s exciting citizen science projects dedicated to exploring and recording Utah’s biodiversity. Scroll down to see active projects at NHMU.

NHMU Citizen Science Projects

Photo of a child taking a picture of a plant.

Neighborhood Naturalists

Neighborhood Naturalist engages citizen science volunteers—people like you—in discovering nature living all around us. Data collected helps guide the research and restoration efforts of local scientists and land managers.

NHMU Ozone Garden

This onsite garden encourages public participation to monitor and visualize the effects of ground-level ozone pollution.

Closeup image of a black and yellow Utah Firefly

Western Firefly Project: A Community Science Initiative

Did you know there are fireflies in the Western U.S.? Learn how scientists at the Natural History Museum of Utah and BYU are tracking firefly populations in Utah and beyond, using the help of citizen scientists around the state.

Utah Fox Squirrels

Fox squirrels (Sciurus niger) are new to Utah. Their arrival offers a unique opportunity to study the ecology of an introduced species. Help NHMU learn more about the fox squirrel as it spreads across Utah!

City Nature Challenge | April 25 - 28, 2025

Help photograph the wild plants and animals in Utah using iNaturalist during this global event!

Citizen DNA Barcode Network

A Community-based Infrastructure for Monitoring Biodiversity and Disease Vectors

Excerpt from a field journal. Author Stephen Durrant (1933-1953)

Help The Museum Go Digital!

Volunteers are needed to transcribe scientific information, including hand-written field notes, paper catalogs, specimen labels, and more.

Foothill Nature Walks

We’re offering a series of free, one-hour guided walks along the Bonneville Shoreline Trail to explore the flora and fauna of the season with experts!

Closeup image of a red and black Utah Firebug

Firebugs of Utah

European firebugs (Pyrrhocoris apterus) first appeared in Salt Lake City in approximately 2008. Help NHMU track the dispersal of this new arrival.

SLC Open Streets

Explore nature in downtown Salt Lake City with SLC Open Streets through June 2025.

NOAA Heat Mapping Campaign

In Summer 2023, communities across Salt Lake City collected data about the distribution of heat in our urban environment as part of a regional effort to map where people are most at risk during extreme heat waves.

Do you have a keen sense of observation and a curiosity about the world around you? Become a citizen scientist! Learn more about citizen science and how you can contribute to NHMU’s ongoing and active research projects: