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List of museums in South Dakota facts for kids

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This list of museums in South Dakota encompasses museums defined for this context as institutions (including nonprofit organizations, government entities, and private businesses) that collect and care for objects of cultural, artistic, scientific, or historical interest and make their collections or related exhibits available for public viewing. Museums that exist only in cyberspace (i.e., virtual museums) are not included.

To use the sortable table, click on the icons at the top of each column to sort that column in alphabetical order; click again for reverse alphabetical order.

Museums

Name Town/City County Region Type Summary
1881 Courthouse Museum Custer Custer Western Local history Operated by the Custer Country Historical Society
Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve McCook Lake Union Southeast Open air website, park with historic Shay-Adams Home with period furnishings, barn, country school and church
Adams Museum & House Deadwood Lawrence Western Local history Exhibits include folk art, Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane and Deadwood Dick
Akta Lakota Museum Chamberlain Brule Central Native American website, profiles the lives of nomadic Plains Indians
Armed Forces Military Display and Gifts Wasta Pennington Western Military Private museum displaying foreign and domestic militaria from World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam and current US conflicts
Augustana College Art Galleries Sioux Falls Minnehaha Southeast Art Center for Visual Arts houses the Eide/Dalrymple Gallery and Carl Grupp Permanent Collection, the Hovland Center for Liturgical Arts, dedicated space for displaying student work; Center for Western Studies Art Gallery displays history and cultures of the Northern Plains and rotating exhibits of regional artists
Aurora County Museum Plankinton Aurora Southeast Local history
Austin-Whittemore House Vermillion Clay Southeast Local history Operated by the Clay County Historical Society, late 19th-century house with Victorian furnishings and items of local historical interest
Badlands National Park Interior Jackson Western Natural history Visitor center exhibits include the geology, paleontology and natural history of the park
Badlands Petrified Garden Kadoka Jackson Western Natural history website, rocks, minerals and fossils
Beauvais Heritage Museum Clark Clark Northeast Open air website, complex includes museum with period displays, Clark Railroad Depot, a settler's shanty, a pioneer church and school; also known as Clark County Museum
Big Thunder Gold Mine Keystone Pennington Western Mining website, includes mine tour and museum
Black Hills Mining Museum Lead Lawrence Western Mining website, simulated gold mine tours
Black Hills Museum of Natural History Hill City Pennington Western Natural history Fossils, dinosaurs, gems, minerals, meteorites
Bon Homme Heritage Museum Tyndall Bon Homme Southeast Local history
Borglum Historical Center Keystone Pennington Western Biographical website, Mount Rushmore sculptor Gutzon Borglum
Brookings County Museum Volga Brookings Northeast Local history Includes an 1870 log cabin, vintage farm equipment, antique tools, and a one-room country school house
Buechel Memorial Lakota Museum St. Francis Todd Central Native American website, history of the Lakota of the Rosebud Indian Reservation, operated by the St. Francis Mission
Buffalo Historical Museum Buffalo Harding Western Local history Includes museum and 1914 one room schoolhouse
Buffalo Interpretive Center Fort Pierre Stanley Central Natural history website, story of the buffalo, its importance and significance in the North American Indian cultures of the Great Plains, and its relationship to the people of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe
Campbell Original Straw Bale Built Museum Carthage Miner Southeast Local history website, located in a building built out of straw bales
Carnegie Resource Center Mitchell Davison Southeast Local history website, operated by the Mitchell Area Historical Society, exhibits of local history and genealogy, permanent collection of Corn Palace memorabilia
Casey Tibbs South Dakota Rodeo Center Fort Pierre Stanley Central Sports website, South Dakota rodeo heritage and memorabilia
Cecil & Phyllis Melcher Museum Platte Charles Mix Southeast Local history Located in the Lyric Theatre, includes dolls, wildlife of South Dakota, toy tractors and tractors, arts of local areas, cars and a military room
Celebrity Hotel Memorabilia Display Deadwood Lawrence Western Multiple website, located in the Celebrity Hotel, celebrity memorabilia, cars and motorcycles
Center for Western Studies Sioux Falls Minnehaha Southeast American West website, part of Augustana College, exhibits include Native American artifacts, 19th century replica Norwegian living room, Jim Savage art studio, changing exhibits from its collections
Chapel in the Hills Rapid City Pennington Western Historic site Stave church replica of the Borgund stave church in Norway and 19th century Norwegian log cabin
Children's Museum of South Dakota Brookings Brookings Northeast Children's website
Civilian Conservation Corps Museum of South Dakota Hill City Pennington Western History website
Classic Wheels Museum Clark Clark Northeast Transportation website, includes antique vehicles, toy cars, model trains
Codington County Heritage Museum Watertown Codington Northeast Local history History and heritage of Codington County and the Coteau des Prairie region of northeastern South Dakota
Corn Palace Mitchell Davison Southeast Agriculture History of the Corn Palace's design, construction, link to area agriculture
Corsica Historical Museum Corsica Douglas Southeast Local history website
Cramer Kenyon Heritage Home Yankton Yankton Southeast Historic house website, 1880s Victorian mansion
Crazy Horse Memorial Crazy Horse Custer Western Multiple Monumental sculpture of Crazy Horse, Indian Museum of North America, and the Native American Cultural Center
Custer State Park Custer Custer Western Multiple Includes Peter Norbeck Center with natural history and cultural heritage displays, and Badger Hole, the historic house of poet Badger Clark
Dacotah Prairie Museum Aberdeen Brown Northeast Multiple website, natural, cultural and local history
Dahl Arts Center Rapid City Pennington Western Art website
Dakota Discovery Museum Mitchell Davison Southeast Multiple website, art, history, culture, located on the campus of Dakota Wesleyan University
Dakota Sunset Museum Gettysburg Potter Central Local history website, includes museum, country school, carriage barn, and blacksmith shop
Dakota Territorial Museum Yankton Yankton Southeast Local history website, includes museum, school, depot and caboose. Now located inside the Mead Cultural Education Center in Yankton.
Dakotaland Museum Huron Beadle Northeast Local history Located on the State Fairgrounds
Daneville Heritage Museum Viborg Turner Southeast Local history
Day County Museum Webster Day Northeast Local history Located in basement of Day County Courthouse
Days of '76 Museum Deadwood Lawrence Western American West website, includes horse-drawn vehicles, rodeo items, Old West pioneer and American Indian art and artifacts
D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery Spearfish Lawrence Western Industry Former hatchery, includes Von Bayer Museum of Fish Culture with exhibits about the history and science of fish culture and fisheries
De Smet Depot Museum De Smet Kingsbury Southeast Local history
Clear Lake Museum Clear Lake Deuel Northheast Local history Operated by the Clear Lake Historical Society, open for special events and by appointment
Cheryl's Doll House Lennox Lincoln Southeast Toy
Donald Christman Toy Museum Lake Norden Hamlin Southeast Toy Includes antique dishes and farm toys, antique dolls
Douglas County Museum Armour Douglas Southeast Local history Includes the Country School and Railroad House, operated by the Douglas County Historical Society
Elkton Community Museum Elkton Brookings Northeast Local history Open by appointment
Eureka Pioneer Museum Eureka McPherson Northeast Local history
Faulk County Historical Museum Faulkton Faulk Central Local history Open by appointment
Fort Meade Museum Sturgis Meade Western Military website, history of Fort Meade, located in the former commanding officers' quarters
Fort Sisseton Historical Park Lake City Marshall Northeast Military State park with preserved 1864 fort buildings
Four Mile Old West Town Custer Custer Western Open air website, buildings include a town hall, saloon, general store, church, bank, an outhouse, sheriff's office, jails
Frederick Area Historical Society Frederick Brown Northeast Local history
Garretson Area Historical Society Museum Garretson Minnehaha Southeast Local history
Geddes Historic Village Geddes Charles Mix Southeast Open air Operated by the Charles Mix County Historical Restoration Society, open by appointment
Granary Rural Cultural Center Groton Brown Southeast Art website
Grand River Museum Lemmon Perkins Western Multiple website, includes local bronze sculptures, ranching, Native American and homestead artifacts, fossils and Creation Science displays
Grant County Historical Society Museum Milbank Grant Northheast Local history
Gary Historical Museum Gary Deuel Northeast Historical Museum Operated by the Gary Historical Association

Open for special occasions and by appointment.

http://www.experiencegarysd.com /
Gregory County History Museum Dallas Gregory Southeast Local history Operated by the Gregory County Historical Society
Harry's Antique Safe Museum Mitchell Davison Southeast Commodity Antique safes, farm toys and toy race cars
Heritage Hall Museum Freeman Hutchinson Southeast Multiple website, displays natural history, history and local history, including pioneer tools, pioneer household items, antiques, toys, vehicles and native wildlife displays
Heritage Center of Red Cloud Indian School Pine Ridge Indian Reservation Shannon Western Native American website, Lakota culture and Native art, located on the campus of the Red Cloud Indian School
Hermosa Arts and History Museum Hermosa Custer Western Local history
High Plains Western Heritage Center Spearfish Lawrence Western American West website, Western art, historic artifacts & memorabilia
Historic Adams House Deadwood Lawrence Western Historic house 1892 mansion
Historic Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Depot Redfield Spink Northeast Railroad website, railroad items, model trains, engines and artifacts
Historic Prairie Village Madison Lake Southeast Open air website, includes over 40 antique-filled buildings, agricultural displays, steam tractors, a sawmill and a train
Hollands Grist Mill Milbank Grant Northheast Mill Also known as Milbank Grist Mill, reconstructed grist mill
Ingalls Homestead De Smet Kingsbury Southeast Open air website, includes Charles Ingalls homestead, school, dugout house, prairie learning center, pioneer activities
International Vinegar Museum Roslyn Day Northeast Food Vinegars from all over the world
Jerauld County Pioneer Museum Wessington Springs Jerauld Southeast Multiple Complex includes one room school, medical office, Western equipment, blacksmith shop, local history artifacts, operated by the Dunham Historical Society
J.W. Parmley Historical Home Ipswich Edmunds Northeast Historic house Includes the J.W. Parmley House and the Parmley Land Office
Journey Museum and Gardens Rapid City Pennington Western Multiple Contains prehistoric & historic collections related to the Western Great Plains with displays of local geology, archaeology, Native American culture, & European pioneer history in the Minnilusa Pioneer Museum
Keystone Historical Museum Keystone Pennington Western Local history website
Klein Museum Mobridge Walworth Northeast Local history website, features pioneer and Native American artifacts
Lake Norden Historical Society Lake Norden Hamlin Southeast Local history Includes museum, one room school and barn with artifacts
Lake Poinsett Visitor Center and Museum Arlington Brookings Northeast Local history website, area natural and cultural history, Native American artifacts, located in Lake Poinsett Recreation Area
Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society De Smet Kingsbury Southeast Historic house website, operates guided tours of two original homes of the family of author Laura Ingalls Wilder, including the Ingalls House
Lennox Museum Lennox Lincoln Southeast Local history
Lewis and Clark Center Visitor Center Yankton Yankton Southeast Multiple website, exhibits include natural & cultural history, geology, exploration, Native Americans, steamboats
Little Village Farm Museum Dell Rapids Minnehaha Southeast Agriculture Several barns and buildings with agriculture tools and equipment
Loriks-Peterson Heritage House Oldham Kingsbury Southeast Historic house
Lyman County Museum Presho Lyman Southeast Local history
Major James McLaughlin Heritage Center McLaughlin Corson Western Local history Local history, agriculture, Native Americans, Mahto Post Office, country school display
The Mammoth Site Hot Springs Fall River Western Natural history Active paleontological dig site and museum with fossils of mammoths, ancient flora and fauna
McWhorter House Museum and Depot Miller Hand Northeast Local history
Mead Cultural Education Center Yankton Yankton Southeast Local History The new location of the Dakota Territory Museum. Features permanent and traveling exhibits.
Mellette House Watertown Codington Northeast Historic house website, Victorian home of South Dakota's first governor, Arthur Calvin Mellette
Midland Pioneer Museum Midland Haakon Central Local history Pioneer and railroad history and artifacts, open by appointment
Miner County Rural Life Museum Howard Miner Southeast Local history Rural life displays, operated by the Miner County Historical Society
Minuteman Missile National Historic Site Jackson County Jackson Western Military Includes visitor center, launch control center and a missile silo/launch facility
Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village Mitchell Davison Southeast Archaeology Prehistoric Indian village archeological site and museum of artifacts
Moody County Museum and Research Center Flandreau Moody Southeast Local history Operated by the Moody County Historical Society
Mount Rushmore Keystone Pennington Western Art National Memorial and sculpture of four U.S. Presidents carved into a mountain, includes Lincoln Borglum Museum with films and exhibits about sculptor Gutzon Borglum, the creation of Mount Rushmore and its workers, also the studio where Borglum worked
Museum of Geology Rapid City Pennington Western Natural history Part of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, area fossils and minerals from around the world
Museum of Visual Materials Sioux Falls Minnehaha Southeast Art website, art exhibits in many media, art and crafts classes, children's art and play activities
Museum of Wildlife, Science and Industry of NE South Dakota Webster Day Northeast Multiple website, features many buildings with exhibits of military, agricultural and pioneer life, antique tractors, cars, and mounted wildlife, restored historic buildings
National Museum of Woodcarving Custer Custer Western Art website, art and sculptures carved in wood
National Music Museum Vermillion Clay Southeast Music American, European, and non-Western instruments from all cultures and historical periods
National Presidential Wax Museum Keystone Pennington Western Wax website, wax figures of U.S. presidents in historic moments
Newell Museum Newell Butte Western Local history Displays include a one-room school, log cabin, church, and barn, agriculture, family life, education, religion, Native Americans, the Fur Trade, military and toys
Nicollet Tower Sisseton Roberts Northeast History website, 75 ft climbing tower with interpretive center that features a great map by Joseph Nicollet, a documentary film and local art
Oglala Lakota College Historical Center Kyle Shannon Western Native American website, history of the Lakota people
Old Courthouse Museum Sioux Falls Minnehaha Southeast Local history
Petrified Wood Park Lemmon Perkins Western Multiple Includes sculptures and structures built from petrified wood and fossils and the Lemmon Pioneer Museum
Pettigrew Home & Museum Sioux Falls Minnehaha Southeast Historic house website, late 19th-century house and personal collections of Senator Richard F. Pettigrew
Pickler Mansion Faulkton Faulk Central Historic house Operated by the Faulk County Historical Society, late 19th-century mansion, home of South Dakota's first Congressman
Pioneer Auto Show Murdo Jones Western Multiple website, automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, National Rockhound Hall of Fame & Lapidary, tractors, antiques and collectibles, authentic prairie town that includes a railroad depot, bank, general store, gas station, church, school, camera shop, butcher shop and more
Pioneer Historical Museum of South Dakota Hot Springs Fall River Western History website, antiques, decorative arts, tools, photos, operated by the Fall River County Historical Society
Pollock Visitor and Interpretive Center Pollock Campbell Central Local history
Porter Sculpture Park Montrose McCook Southeast Art Outdoor sculpture park
Prairie Homestead Philip Haakon Central Historic house Early 20th century sod dwelling typical of area pioneers
Prayer Rock Museum Britton Marshall Northeast Local history
Pyle House Huron Beadle Northeast Historic house 1894 home of Gladys Pyle, the first elected woman U.S. senator
Redlin Art Center Watertown Codington Northeast Art Gallery that displays over 150 works by artist Terry Redlin
Scouter's Attic Museum Sioux Falls Minnehaha Southeast Scouting website, scout memorabilia including uniforms, equipment and promotional items
Sioux Empire Medical Museum Sioux Falls Minnehaha Southeast Medical Located in the concourse below the Sanford USD Medical Center Lobby
Smith Zimmermann Heritage Museum Madison Lake Southeast Local history website, part of Dakota State University, operated by the Lake County Historical Society
South Dakota Air and Space Museum Box Elder Meade Western Aerospace US Air Force and South Dakota aviation history
South Dakota Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame Lake Norden Hamlin Southeast Hall of fame - Sports Amateur baseball in South Dakota as well as memorabilia from South Dakotans who played Major League Baseball
South Dakota Art Museum Brookings Brookings Northeast Art website, collections include works by Harvey Dunn and Paul Goble (writer and illustrator)Paul Goble, Native American cultural artifacts, Marghab linens, part of South Dakota State University
South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center Pierre Hughes Central History Operated by the South Dakota Historical Society, state history and culture
South Dakota Discovery Center Pierre Hughes Central Science Hands-on Science Center website
South Dakota Hall of Fame Chamberlain Brule Central Hall of fame - History Honors those who contributed to the progress, way of life, and values of the South Dakota
South Dakota National Guard Museum Pierre Hughes Central Military website, history and memorabilia of the South Dakota National Guard
South Dakota's Original 1880 Town Murdo Jones Western Open air website, includes over 30 building with historic artifacts and rodeo star Casey Tibbs Museum
South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum Brookings Brookings Northeast Agriculture website, part of South Dakota State University, exhibits include tractors and farm equipment, an original 1882 homestead claim shack, and a recreated 1915 farmhouse. Abundant historic photographs enhance the understanding of South Dakota's rural qualities.
South Dakota School of Mines & Technology APEX Gallery Rapid City Pennington Western Art Located in Classroom Building 211, hosts a new exhibit every four to six weeks
South Dakota State Capitol Pierre Hughes Central History Tours include the capitol and First Lady Gown Collection
South Dakota State Railroad Museum Hill City Pennington Western Railroad website, railroad memorabilia, model trains from across South Dakota and Mid-America
South Dakota Tractor Museum Kimball Brule Central Agriculture website, historic tractors and other farm machinery
Spink County Museum Redfield Spink Northeast Local history
Springfield College Museum Springfield Bon Homme Southeast Local history Memorabilia from the college known as Southern State College that was located in Springfield from 1896 to 1984
Springfield Historical Society Museum Springfield Bon Homme Southeast Local history
Stavig House Sisseton Roberts Northeast Historic house website, early 20th-century Victorian period home of a Norwegian immigrant family
Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame Sturgis Meade Western Transportation Features vintage and rare V-twin and metric motorcycles
Telstar Mustang Shelby Cobra Restorations & Museum Mitchell Davison Southeast Automotive website, privately owned, fully restored collection of Mustangs, Shelby & Cobra automobiles
Timber Lake and Area Museum Timber Lake Dewey Central Local history website, includes fossils, Native American artifacts, period displays
Trails, Trains & Pioneers Museum Edgemont Fall River Western Local history website, operate by the Edgemont Area Historical Society
Tri-State Museum Belle Fourche Butte Western American West website, early pioneer, rodeo, and old west history of the Tri-State region of Western South Dakota, Eastern Wyoming and Southeast Montana
Tripp County Historical Society Museum Winner Tripp Southeast Local history
Union County Museum Elk Point Union Southeast Local history Operated by the Union County Historical Society
University of South Dakota Art Galleries Vermillion Clay Southeast Art John A. Day Gallery, Gallery 110, Oscar Howe Gallery, University Libraries exhibits
Vancura Park Tabor Bon Homme Southeast Open air Includes Czech Museum, chapel, jail, store, log school and log house in the Czech Pioneer Village, and the Blachnik Museum with handmade crafts
Verendrye Museum Fort Pierre Stanley Central Local history
Wade's Gold Mill Hill City Pennington Western Mining website, modern gold mill and antique mining museum
Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science Sioux Falls Minnehaha Southeast Multiple Includes the Kirby Science Discover Center and Visual Arts Center with galleries
W. H. Over Museum Vermillion Clay Southeast Multiple website, natural history displays, Native American and pioneer artifacts
Willow Lake Community Museum Willow Lake Clark Northeast Local history website
Wind Cave National Park Hot Springs Fall River Western Natural history Visitor center includes three rooms with exhibits about the geology of the caves, the park's natural and cultural history
Wounded Knee Museum Wall Pennington Western Native American website, history of the Wounded Knee Massacre

Defunct museums

National Music Museum
National Music Museum
  • Delbridge Museum of Natural History, Sioux Falls
  • McCook County Museum, Salem
  • Performance Auto Museum, Sioux Falls and Deadwood
  • Soukup and Thomas International Balloon and Airship Museum, Mitchell, closed in 2000

See also

AktaLakotaMuseum
Akta Lakota Museum

Resources

  • Association of South Dakota Museums
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List of museums in South Dakota Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.