About the Agricultural Heritage Museum
The South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum is the official state museum that collects, preserves and interprets the history of agriculture and rural life in South Dakota.
Mission
- To inspire a passion for the history, culture and science of agriculture in South Dakota.
Vision
- We are a leader in the preservation of South Dakota agricultural history and in connecting multigenerational audiences to the importance of agriculture in their daily lives.
Core Values
Integrity
We are the stewards of South Dakota’s agricultural history. The community turns to us to preserve their historic treasures and tell the stories of bygone eras with accuracy and honesty.
Service
We exist for the public. We serve our patrons through preservation of historic artifacts, through educational outreach and by supporting the community in endeavors that enrich our society. We depend upon the support of the people to succeed, and we honor that by serving our patrons to the best of our abilities.
Approachability
We are open to all. We believe that museums are unique places where people can share existing ideas while learning about new ones. We take a grassroots approach in developing educational platforms and in interpreting history and culture.
Innovation
We explore and create. We look for new and innovative ways to create meaningful connections with the community.
Museum History
The museum began in 1884 as a zoological collection at the South Dakota Agricultural College and Mechanical Arts. Over time, it expanded to include college history and, by the mid-20th century, a significant collection of agricultural equipment, primarily representing eastern South Dakota from 1880-1950.
In 2014, the museum broadened its collecting scope to better represent the full history of agriculture in South Dakota — from the earliest domestication of plants and animals to the present day. The collection also expanded to include artifacts and stories from western South Dakota and the state's cultural communities.
The museum moved into the historic Stock Judging Pavilion on the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ campus in 1976. Built in 1918 and expanded in 1925, the pavilion was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 and reopened as a public museum following restoration in 1981. During this period, the museum became the official State Agricultural Heritage Museum. Today, the campus includes the restored pavilion, an 11,000-square-foot collections storage building completed in 2005, and a historic rammed-earth building that serves as workshop space.
Timeline
- 1884 – Professor W.H. Orcutt established the museum as a zoological collection at South Dakota Agricultural College and Mechanical Arts.
- 1958 – Victor M. Dalthorp donated more than 2,000 pioneer, military and agricultural artifacts.
- 1967-1968 – SDSU organized the museum collection, and the Museum and Heritages Center opened in Wenona Hall.
- 1972 – Henry DeLong became curator, strengthening the museum's focus on agricultural history.
- 1973-1975 – The museum was transferred from SDSU to the South Dakota Office of Cultural Preservation, and its mission was refined to focus on agricultural heritage.
- 1976 – John Schmalenberger became the first director, the museum was renamed the Agricultural Heritage Museum, and the Stock Judging Pavilion was secured as its future home.
- 1977-1979 – Planning, fundraising and restoration of the pavilion began with support from the South Dakota Legislature and the National Park Service.
- 1978 – The Stock Judging Pavilion was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1981 – The restored pavilion opened to the public as the State Agricultural Heritage Museum.
- 1995 – Administration of the museum transferred to the South Dakota Board of Regents.
- 2005 – An 11,000-square-foot collections storage building was completed, and director John Awald retired after 28 years.
- 2006 – Mac Harris became director.
- 2011 – Harris retired.
- 2014 – Gwen McCausland became director, and the museum expanded its collecting scope to represent the full history of agriculture across South Dakota.
