Dacotah Prairie Museum

Dacotah Prairie Museum We are supported by Brown County and the Dacotah Prairie Museum Foundation. Admission is Free. Closed Sundays, Mondays and major holidays.
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The Dacotah Prairie Museum celebrates 50 years as Brown County’s premier history museum. Over the decades the Museum has been a storehouse for the county’s collective memory and has provided exceptional archival, research, exhibit and educational services. The Museum is housed in the historic Northwestern Bank building built in 1889, a cornerstone of Aberdeen’s vibrant downtown district. Exhibits

on display highlight Brown County's history and the people who lived here past and present. Art exhibits by local artists rotate through the galleries on a regular basis as well as traveling STEM and history exhibits. Finish your visit with a spin through the Museum Store for a fun and memorable takeaway souvenir. Gallery & Museum Store Hours: Tues.-Fri. 10am-5pm and Sat. 11am-4pm. Free admission, donations appreciated. Check out the latest exhibits and events at www.dacotahprairiemuseum.com

Uncle Yam has his own noble steed now.You can’t have a trip to the museum without visiting Buster! Uncle Yam is just sma...
06/16/2026

Uncle Yam has his own noble steed now.

You can’t have a trip to the museum without visiting Buster! Uncle Yam is just small enough to hide behind Buster's hairdo. Buster is just one part of this exhibit about the prehistoric prairie in Brown County. Do you know the name of the exhibit?
Many different animals have lived on the prairie, both past and present! From megafauna like bison to smaller critters like prairie dogs, the prairie is a biodiversity hotspot with hundreds of species, plant and animal alike. Brown county was primarily a tallgrass prairie, which boasts over 70 different species of grass alone, along with many different animal species!

Leo’s Favorite Part: My favorite part is the Bison bones. I think it’s fun to be able to see just how big these creatures are. These animals were also super important to shaping our ecosystem since their grazing promoted plant diversity. Today, herds of Bison roam freely in Custer State Park and Badlands National Park in South Dakota.

Emmy’s Favorite Part: I think the sword and scabbard made from a mammoth tusk is extremely cool. Animal tusks, like those from elephants today, have been used to create things from piano keys to jewelry for a long time. This has unfortunately had a drastic negative impact on wild populations, so ivory items today are rare as ivory has been banned as a material.

Congratulations to Judy Dosch, county maintenance and facility director on her retirement. Judy started in 1974 in the s...
06/16/2026

Congratulations to Judy Dosch, county maintenance and facility director on her retirement.
Judy started in 1974 in the same department and worked her way up to director. She knows every nook and cranny in the county buildings and has a deep institutional knowledge that can’t be replaced!
She has always been a proponent of preserving history and has shown museum staff some hidden gems in the courthouse.
Good luck, Judy, thanks for 52 years of service to the people of Brown County.

Aberdeen has celebrated many occasions with a parade down Main Street throughout the years! Here's a historic 4th of Jul...
06/15/2026

Aberdeen has celebrated many occasions with a parade down Main Street throughout the years! Here's a historic 4th of July parade panoramic photo from 1924!

This year for the United States of America's 250th anniversary we're going to host a parade again! Alongside the City of Aberdeen Municipal Government, the Dacotah Prairie Museum is proud to spearhead the effort!

If you, your organization, or business would like to join in the festivities please register here. https://dacotahprairiemuseum.org/america-250-parade-registration
There is no cost to enter!

He’s learning so much! Hey Historians! We at the museum would like to introduce you to our newest coworker, Uncle Yam! L...
06/12/2026

He’s learning so much!

Hey Historians! We at the museum would like to introduce you to our newest coworker, Uncle Yam! Leading up to the big 250th anniversary of America on July 4th, we’re going to document Uncle Yam’s first tour of our museum. Throughout this adventure, our interns are going to share their favorite parts of each location Uncle Yam visits, and we want you to guess in the comments where he is each day! Today, Uncle Yam wanted to start by learning about the Louisiana purchase, which was a major land purchase for the U.S. in 1803 and was famously explored by Lewis & Clark. This purchase of land directly led to the founding of our city of Aberdeen due to the access to farmable land and the railway system that followed.

Do you know which exhibit he’s in?

Leo’s Favorite Part: My favorite part of this exhibit is seeing the butterflies and moths on display. I’m a sucker for colorful bugs and one of the moths is huge! My favorite butterfly on display has to be the Tiger Butterfly though. They’re the second largest butterfly native to North America.

Emmy’s Favorite Part: My favorite parts of the exhibit are the fossils and rocks on display. So many different prehistoric species were discovered in the area explored by Lewis and Clark, including many marine organisms due to states like South Dakota being underneath the Western Interior Seaway for millions of years!

Sincerely,
Leo and Emmylea

New at the Mercantile! Squishy butter, rainbow hacky sacks and America 250th trucker hats! Make sure to stop by and see ...
06/12/2026

New at the Mercantile!
Squishy butter, rainbow hacky sacks and America 250th trucker hats! Make sure to stop by and see what else is new!

The Dacotah Prairie Museum is open 10 to 5 Tue thru Fri and 11 to 4 on Saturdays!

Great pics from our Mayor for the SD America 250 flag raising on June 5!More America 250 events to come in Aberdeen - ch...
06/10/2026

Great pics from our Mayor for the SD America 250 flag raising on June 5!

More America 250 events to come in Aberdeen - check it out here:
https://aberdeensd.com/america-250/

Our friends at Prairie Master Gardeners are hosting a spring garden walk Thursday June 18! Check out the flyer for detai...
06/08/2026

Our friends at Prairie Master Gardeners are hosting a spring garden walk Thursday June 18! Check out the flyer for details!

NATIONAL PRAIRIE DAY!On the first Saturday of June, we recognize one of the richest ecosystems on the face of the earth ...
06/06/2026

NATIONAL PRAIRIE DAY!

On the first Saturday of June, we recognize one of the richest ecosystems on the face of the earth on National Prairie Day. In North America, the prairies are at the heart of the continent.

At the Dacotah Prairie Museum, our purpose and mission is to preserve and share the stories of the Dakota prairie and its inhabitants. Happy Prairie Day everyone!


https://nationaldaycalendar.com/celebrations/national-prairie-day-first-saturday-in-june

Address

21 Main Street S (we Are SOUTH Of The Railroad Tracks)
Aberdeen, SD
57401

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 11am - 4pm

Telephone

+16056267117

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