Dakota Discovery Musuem

Sightseeing  :  United States  :  South Dakota  :  Mitchell  :  Family Friendly Tours & Activi

This is a premiere museum in the region dedicated to preserving the past, informing the present, and building the future. The Central and Great Plains of the United States are inhabited by a diverse collection of peoples that built successful lives, families, and communities through strong and purposeful relationships.Tours begin in the main museum building at the registration desk. After registration, guests can choose to begin inside the main building or outside in the museum's Village, which houses four buildings (soon to be five). The main building holds five galleries. The History Gallery is dedicated to illustrating the history of the region through physical artifacts. On the second level are three art galleries and a changing gallery. The changing gallery houses exhibits that are created and changed out 3-5 times per year. Two galleries are dedicated to the artists Oscar Howe and Charles Hargens. The final gallery, the Case Gallery, contains a blend of Native/Tribal and Pioneer art. 

The Village, located directly behind the main museum building contains a 110 year-old prairie church, a one-room schoolhouse that opened in 1885, a railroad depot, and the home of Louis and Mary Beckwith. Louis Beckwith was the co-founder of one of Mitchell's primary attractions, the Corn Palace. Three buildings are available for self-guided tours. Beckwith House tours are happily provided by museum staff and volunteers. 

The museum is also home to the Garret Gift Shop where books, art, and souvenirs  are available for purchase. This includes the availability of framed and/or unframed, numbered Oscar Howe prints.