POWELL MUSEUM & ARCHIVES
OUR COLLECTION OF OVER 100,000 PIECES OF
COLORADO PLATEAU HISTORY
There are few Western trailblazers more famous than the one-armed boatman, John Wesley Powell. The Powell Museum & Archives pays homage to John Wesley Powell by sharing his passions of cartography, geology and boating through exhibits on display at our Page location.
Launch your own journey through the geology, people and stories of the Colorado Plateau.
Uncover the history of Page from its earliest inhabitants and explorers to the construction of Glen Canyon Dam and the city on the mesa. Plus, see new fossil discoveries from the Kaiparowits Plateau on display for the first time ever!
2025 Admission Prices & Hours
Admission:
$5 | General Admission 13+ years of age
FREE | Youth 12- years of age
FREE | Glen Canyon Conservancy Members | Become a member today and enjoy free admission to the museum all year
Operating Hours:
Open
Tuesday – Saturday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm MST
Closed
Sundays & Mondays
ABOUT THE MUSEUM
POWELL MUSEUM & ARCHIVES
Founded in 1969, the John Wesley Powell Memorial Museum, now known as the Powell Museum & Archives, holds over 100,000 objects in trust for the people of Page, as well as other areas of the Colorado Plateau. Our collections focus primarily on the natural and cultural history of northern Arizona and southern Utah. To keep our collections in line with the passions of John Wesley Powell, the museum has focused on acquiring items that fall under cartography, archaeology, geology, paleontology, anthropology, as well as a focus on the unique city of Page’s history with the Glen Canyon Dam.
Powell Museum & Archives
Current exhibits
Powell Museum & Archives
DIGITAL COLLECTIONS
Journey through a selection of the Powell Museum & Archives’ permanent collection from the comfort of your own home. Since its inception in 1969, the Powell Museum & Archives has accepted materials from the Bureau of Reclamation, hobby photographers and many others.
As a consequence, the museum has outgrown its ability to showcase it all. As of 2019, the museum has been aiming to digitize the full collection so that visitors can search or browse images and specimens through our online portal.
PALEONTOLOGY
Around 240 million years ago, creatures large and small lived in this region. Some left their mark in the mud, and if the conditions were just right, those prints were preserved under a protective layer of sediment. See the many types of fossils in the collection here.
PHOTOGRAPHY
The Powell Museum is proud to have such a large collection of Bureau of Reclamation photos, Sanderson River rafting photos, and so much more. See photos touching on the early …
NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE
The Colorado Plateau has been home to many indigenous groups for thousands of years. See works from Navajo, Hopi, Southern Ute, Ute Mountain, Zuni, Paiute and many other indigenous groups here.
JOHN WESLEY POWELL
Major John Wesley Powell is credited as the man who led the first U.S. Government Expedition down the Green and Colorado rivers, through the Grand Canyon in 1869. He would later retrace his first trip and finish the expedition in 1871. See various reference photos from his trips down the rivers, as well as numerous related pieces commemorating his history voyages here.
GLEN CANYON DAM HISTORY
The Glen Canyon Dam was constructed from 1956 to 1966 by the United States Bureau of Reclamation. The 710-foot-high arch-gravity dam not only created Lake Powell, but it created the town of Page, Arizona as well. See the many pieces of history from the Dam’s construction here.
GEOLOGY
The Colorado Plateau is composed of Neoproterozoic, Paleozoic, and Mesozoic sedimentary rocks. Sandstones, shales, and limestones are common, as are fantastic rock formations molded by wind and water. See geology examples from the various formations here.
Powell Museum & Archives
Page oral history project
Experience the vibrant history of Page through its residents in this new digital exhibit from the John Wesley Powell Museum. Stories and memory combine to weave a personal narrative unlike any you’ve heard before. From dam construction and the development of Page to life before the first surveyors came with dreams of a giant reservoir. Tune in below, no need to set your radio dial.
Membership
BECOME A MEMBER
Become part of a community of people passionate about public lands and visit the Powell Museum & Archives for FREE! Members support our efforts in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and enjoy special discounts across the country in stores just like ours. Become a member today!
