The Tanner Humanities Center was founded in 1988 as the Utah Humanities Center in
the College of Humanities at the University of Utah. In 1995, it was endowed through
a generous gift from the family foundation of Obert C. Tanner, renowned entrepreneur,
philanthropist, and Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, and renamed for Obert and his
wife Grace.
In Fall 2008, the Tanner Humanities Center moved from the University of Utah’s Carlson Hall to the Carolyn Tanner Irish Humanities Building. This move enabled the center to house administrative and fellowship offices in one area, offer convenient and professional meeting and conference spaces, and cultivate close relationships with the College of Humanities and other schools, colleges, centers, departments, and programs with its central campus location.