Dacotah Prairie Museum

09/04/2026

Harvest Stroll is just around the corner!

Join us for a day of fun, free activities, downtown Aberdeen in front of the Dacotah Prairie Museum & Courthouse!

We'll also have hot dogs & soda for sale at the hot dog stand for lunch!

Come on down and decorate a pumpkin, play some games, and listen to the music, September 19th, from 11am to 3pm!

Two community groups (so far) are setting up a booth with an activity too! Visit the Aberdeen Area Arts Council and the Aberdeen Cycling Association at the Harvest Stroll!

09/02/2026

We're hoping someone out there can help us!

We're looking for information and family stories about the Nettie Baldwin. It was a sternwheeler boat that ran on the James River in the 1880's. We know it ended up in Columbia, SD. If anybody has photos of the Nettie Baldwin we'd love to take a look at them.

Any details about construction of the boat or transformations it had through the years would be helpful for a special project we're working on.

If you know anything, or know anybody who does, please reach out to [email protected] or send us a message on Facebook messenger!

Thank you!

09/01/2026

We are now down to 6 STATES left in our quest for visitors from 50 states for America 250 this year.
Invite your friends and relatives from these states:
ALABAMA, DELAWARE, HAWAII, NEW MEXICO, RHODE ISLAND, & WEST VIRGINIA

08/29/2026

Thanks for the assist, James Valley Model Railroad Association!

08/24/2026

Our phones are still down, we can call you, but when you call us all you'll hear is a busy tone.

The best way to reach out right now is by email or stop by in person.

Contact us by [email protected] or by a staff member's email address you may already have.

Thank you for being patient, our IT guys have been working on this issue for a while.

08/22/2026

It's a beautiful day to stop by the museum and browse! Especially if you haven't been in awhile!

It's a good place to stop before Sizzlin Summer Nights gets started! We're open 11am to 4pm today!

08/21/2026

Mr. Sloth is having a nice time at the museum. He watched a record spin on the record player, made friends with a plush bison, counted the gumballs in the machine, and helped do a little archives digitization.

While he's having fun, he really misses his kid and would love to go home.

He can be picked up at the front desk!

08/20/2026

With how close the Schaunaman family is to the museum, our hearts are heavy with this news. Please keep the family in your thoughts and give them the space they need.

Thank you.

UPDATE

08/19/2026

Let's all do our part and protect our smallest museum patrons! Now that school has started up, watch out for the kids loading and unloading on the busses throughout the county, and in Aberdeen, keep an eye on kids in crosswalks!

We hope the kids have a good time learning at school. It's not too much longer before Miss Sherri and Miss Jessica start to make classroom visits again!

School is back in session! That means more buses, more kids walking and biking, and more families on the roads during morning and afternoon drop off times. Please slow down, stay alert, and watch for stopped school buses. Remember: flashing red lights mean stop. Let’s work together to keep our kids safe this school year.