Old Courthouse Museum
Make time for history at the Old Courthouse Museum. This beautifully-restored 1800s quartzite building has three floors of regional history exhibits. The Museum store includes unique and affordable Dakota-made gifts for the whole family.
Free admission. Free parking. Wheelchair accessible. Open daily. Call (605) 367-4210 ext. 0 or email for more information about current exhibits and fun, educational programs for all ages. Click Here for more Information.
Pettigrew Home and Museum
Welcome to the Past! Tour the elegant 1889 Queen Anne-style home of South Dakota's first senator, Richard Pettigrew. Take a guided tour of the historic home, or browse the museum galleries and discover the Sioux Falls of the late 1800s.
Free admission. Free parking. Wheelchair accessible. Open Monday through Sunday. Call (605) 367-7097 or email for more information. Click Here for more Information.
Get to Know: Man's Best Friend
Fido, flea bag, mutt, mongrel, pooch, man's best friend, or Canis lupus familiaris; these names all refer to the animal we commonly call the dog. Whatever you call them, these four-legged friends have walked beside man for over 14,000 years. At first dogs were only good for the hunt, but it wasn't long until we started treating them like family. Dogs are still working for us; there are military dogs, US Customs dogs, police dogs, search and rescue dogs, dogs used as eyes for the blind and ears for the deaf, therapeutic companions, dogs that detect signs of an epileptic seizure, hunting dogs, guard dogs, and many more.
Originally bred for size, skills, and working ability, dogs are now chosen for their temperament and overall appearance. No matter which breed, America loves the dog, as can be seen in the abundance of famous dogs in movies, TV shows, and marketing campaigns. Seven out of ten Americans who own a pet have a dog, and most consider it a member of the family. While we crave the unconditional love and loyalty it gives, the only thing that makes the dog content is to be part of our pack!
Fired Up: 50 Years of Hot Air
You've seen these brightly colored aircraft floating by in the sky overhead. But did you know that the modern hot air balloon system was invented in Sioux Falls in 1960? Visit our newest exhibit, Fired Up: 50 Years of Hot Air and learn about everything from the hot air balloon's smoky origins in France in the late 1700s to its reinvention into a modern aircraft. See how regional scientists engineered new techniques and systems to soar into the clouds. Explore baskets and burners, races and world records in this exhibit that has something for the whole family.
Underwear: A Brief History
Underwear-it's the first thing you put on in the morning and the last thing you take off at night. For centuries it has come in a variety of unique and often torturous designs, and in many colors, shapes, and sizes to fit each individual. Besides securing one's valuables, wearing underclothing also provides the benefits of warmth, protection, and cleanliness. These unmentionables change the shape of the body and make statements about social class. Similar to clothing fashions, undergarments progressed from simple loincloths to sophisticatedly engineered products. In order to appreciate the history of our outerwear, we must first take a brief peek at the hidden history of our underwear.
Stop in to the Old Courthouse Museum on Thursday, October 22nd for the Underwear: A Brief History exhibit opening reception from 5-7 p.m.to take a look at a variety of unique garments that built the foundation of historical fashion!
Underwear: A Brief History Video
Corn: Bushels of Corn
This year, South Dakotans will plant approximately 5 million acres of corn. Eastern South Dakota is part of the great Corn Belt that sweeps across the mid-section of the United States. From its origins in South America, corn has spread across the globe and has evolved from a bushy grass into a slender stalk. With farming practices changing from individual farms with horse-drawn implements to conglomerate operations with state-of-the-art machinery, the corn industry has skyrocketed in recent history. From food to ethanol, from sweeteners to batteries, corn is a part of thousands of products we use everyday. Whether you are a farmer interested in a century of implements or a city-dweller who has only viewed fields of corn from a car window, come and be a-maized at the numerous ways corn has changed and how it influences our everyday lives. Click
Here for more Information.
Cruisin' Cuisine: Drive Ins of Sioux Falls
Drive-in restaurants had their beginning in 1921 in Dallas, TX at a little café called The Pig Stand where servers began hopping onto the running boards of cars coming into the parking lot. These servers eventually became known as "car hops," and the era of the drive-in restaurant with car hops providing curb-side service was born.
Cruisin' Cuisine takes a nostalgic look at several early drive-ins of Sioux Falls, including The Barrell, Bob's, The Cottage, Cutler's, Dal-Ray, Herbert's, Kirk's, Lee's, Ray's, and Rickey's. Relive times gone by with music, images, and artifacts from these city hot spots. Opens October 16th, 2008
American Indian Beadwork
American Indian beadwork was and is today a major art form in Indian culture. Artistic expression was a central part of everyday tribal life, as Indians decorated themselves, their homes, and their possessions. Before their contact with Europeans, American Indians made their beads from stones, shells, teeth, animal bones, deer hooves, and seeds. By the late 1700s and early 1800s, Venetian glass beads had become a form of currency between European fur traders and Indian tribes all across North America. Tribes found these beads appealing, colorful, and much easier to use than porcupine quills.
The exhibit will highlight beadwork from many different North American Indian tribes including Iroquois, Chippewa, Potawatomi, Woodland, Ojibwa, and Lakota. It will feature both historical and contemporary objects as well as the different techniques the American Indians used in creating their beadwork designs. Some of the artifacts that will be on display are a shirt and leggings worn by Chief Spotted Tail, an 1870s war shirt, bandolier bags, purses, and beaded moccasins.
Medical Instruments
Throughout history, medical equipment has shaped the way people percieve both medicine and hospitals. Until the 19th century, medical technology was a small, specialized business field in the United States. During the 20th century, the field of medical technology expanded even further with the introduction of many new medicines, vaccines, and countless medical devices. Check out the interesting Medical Instruments in our collection.
