Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology

The Hall of Life, renovated in 2011, is located on the museum's upper floor and provides an overview of the history of life on earth. Modeled after a time spiral, the hall illustrates the evolution of beings, from the first record of life through human civilization. On display are ancient single-celled and multicellular organisms, as well as fossilized invertebrates, including a cast of the world's largest trilobite. Dinosaurs are represented by casts of skulls (Diabloceratops, Gryposaurus, Nanotyrannus, Pachycephalosaurus, Tyrannosaurus rex), and skeletons of Allosaurus and Centrosaurus, among others. A large collection of fossil mammals from North America, including saber toothed cats, brontotheres, and three-toed horses is also featured. The exhibit ends with a series of temporary displays which show the results of recently completed research projects of museum staff and Webb students. Currently on temporary display is “Baby Joe”, a young Parasaurolophus discovered in 2009 by students in the Kaiparowits Formation in southern Utah.[10][11]

The Hall of Footprints, unlike the former, it is the largest section with a diversity of fossil footprints collections that are on display in the United States of America. The display has a variety of collections such as track-ways and tracks that are made dinosaurs, camels, spiders and elephants. There are more of skeletons of camel, giant bear-dog, whose skeletons are all complete. These skeletons are mounted on top of it track-way for fossil. The display of all these fossil collections puts the museum on top in the track collection as the most fundamental legacy of life history store.

The Raymond Alf Museum of Paleontology acts as a unique resource for students of The Webb Schools as they have the opportunity to function as actual paleontologists through hands-on field, lab, and class-based activities. In addition to collecting important fossils on peccary trips, Webb students are involved in all steps of the scientific process including removal from encasing rock and eventual study in the museum's capstone science course, Honors Advanced Museum Research. With access to a fully equipped and modern research lab, students do original research on the fossils they find in collaboration with museum staff, and publish their results in peer reviewed scientific journals. Webb students also attend regional and international paleontology conferences to present their research and interact with scientists from all over the world.

Since the late 1930s, fossil collecting trips for Webb students have been known as Peccary Trips. During the academic year, most Peccary Trips are centered on Southern California locales, like the Barstow and Goler formations in the Mojave Desert.[12] On these trips, students learn collection techniques such as prospecting, quarrying, and screen-washing.

Every year since 1937, the museum has offered a Summer Peccary Trip for Webb students, co-led by Museum Director Dr. Don Lofgren and Augustyn Family Curator of Paleontology Dr. Andrew Farke. This expedition leads students to collect fossils in remote areas of Utah[13] and Montana. Presently, the museum summer field research is centered on projects in the Kaiparowits Formation of southern Utah[14] and the Renova Formation of southwest Montana.

As part of the freshman science curriculum, every Webb student learns the basics of the geological time, evolution, and other processes that shape our planet. In advanced paleontology electives, Honors Advanced Study in Paleontology and Honors Museum Research, students acquire the scientific background necessary to work with fossils, as they learn how museums procure, curate, exhibit, and identify fossils. Also, they are given mini research projects, which involve the review of relevant scientific literature, as well as analysis and interpretation of paleontological data. In the Honors Advanced Museum Research course (for juniors and seniors), students work on a project under the supervision of Museum Director Dr. Lofgren or Augustyn Family Curator of Paleontology Dr. Farke. Student research projects result in significant contributions to knowledge and are usually published in regional or internationals scientific journals. Since 2008, Webb students have been primary or secondary authors in more than 10 peer-reviewed scientific articles.[15][16]

The Peccary Society is the exploration and research arm of the museum and includes alumni of The Webb Schools, current students, and museum friends and supporters. The Peccary Society was named in honor of the peccary skull found by Bill Webb ’39 in 1936. For decades, Alf shared his interest in paleontology with Webb students and those who accompanied him on peccary trips were the earliest members of the Peccary Society. This interest in fossil collecting has never waned, as current Webb students still accompany museum staff on peccary trips and thus are vested as members of a unique club, the Peccary Society. For members of the Peccary Society, the museum offers international peccary trips to Mongolia, China, and Madagascar and also hosts the annual Peccary Society Dinner at which alumni and friends gather to celebrate the museum's continued success.

The Raymond Alf Museum of Paleontology acts as a center for paleontological education and research by maintaining and expanding its collection of over 140,000 specimens. The museum is home to eighteen holotypes, most notably the hadrosaur Gryposaurus monumentensis,[17] the ancient horse Megahippus mckennai, and the ancient ungulate Goleroconus alfi. Notable ichnotypes include the arachnid Octopodichnus raymondi and the bear-dog Hirpexipes alfi. Study of the museum’s collections or loan of specimens may be arranged by contacting the Augustyn Family Curator of Paleontology, Dr. Andrew Farke.