North Dakota Heritage Center facts for kids
The North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum is North Dakota's main history museum. You can find it in Bismarck, right on the grounds of the North Dakota State Capitol. It first opened in 1981. The State Historical Society of North Dakota runs the museum, which has many cool exhibits that stay for a long time and others that change. In June 2008, something really special arrived: a rare mummified Edmontosaurus. This dinosaur even has fossilized skin!
The museum got much bigger with an expansion that finished on November 2, 2014. This was also North Dakota's 125th birthday as a state! The expansion added a lot of new space, making the museum twice as large. This extra space is used for storing collections, labs, and offices.
Contents
Discover the Museum
The North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum is a very important place for keeping the state's collections. It holds the State Archives, which are official records from the government. It also has the Johnsrud Paleontology Laboratory and the State Fossil Collection.
The museum has four main exhibit areas, two theaters, and an outdoor stage. There's also a cafe, a fun play area for kids, and a museum store. The museum hosts events, programs, and meetings all year long. It also publishes the "North Dakota History Journal" and other books.
Amazing Collections
State Archives: Keeping History Safe
The State Archives takes care of many important historical items. These include books, magazines, maps, photos, old papers, newspapers, recorded stories, and films. They make sure these items are stored safely and preserved for the future.
Archaeology and Old Places
The museum's collections include millions of artifacts. These are objects from more than 12,000 years of human history across North Dakota. The museum also helps manage 56 state historic sites all over North Dakota. These are important places where history happened.
Paleontology: Dinosaurs and Fossils
The paleontology collection is full of amazing specimens. It has a collection of gems, minerals, and rocks. It also holds the state fossil collection. This collection has millions of fossils, from tiny shells you need a microscope to see, to huge dinosaur bones!
See also
- List of historical societies in North Dakota
External links
- North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum official website: https://statemuseum.nd.gov/
- State Historical Society of North Dakota
