2026 - Grit and Glory: 250 Years of American Democracy
Join the South Dakota State Historical Society in celebrating America's 250th birthday. This exhibit dives into America's past through the lens of our brightest and darkest days. How have we celebrated on those bright days? How have those darkest days led to big changes? How have South Dakotans participated?

2027 - Still Giants in the Earth
Most people who live in the United States are or are descended from immigrants. So where did South Dakotans arrive from? Are there differences of opinion? What sources of information are there to help you learn about where your family came from? And how do you care for and preserve your family's past?

Each exhibit consists of 5 or 6 freestanding fabric and tension wire pop-ups. These kiosks are either 3 or 4 sided, each side measures approximately 44". Build for indoor and outdoor use, exhibits ship complete with tent stakes and guylines for outdoor use. Please limit outdoor use to less than 5 days.

Click on an exhibit title to download a sample of the exhibit content.

A Capital Fight: Choosing South Dakota's Capital City
Becoming South Dakota's capital city brought money, people and prestige to the winning town. Pierre won all three capital elections.

At Home & Abroad: South Dakota in World War II
The exhibition documents the state's experiences overseas and on the homefront during WWII with photographs and artifacts from the State Archives and the museum collection.

Drawn to the Land: Homesteading Dakota
From 1860 to 1920, thousands of homesteaders poured into the Dakota Territory from across the country and overseas. Many stayed, making a home for themselves and their descendants. Others came for only a short while before selling out and moving on.

Fall In! Soldiering in Dakota
As settlers moved into Dakota, the military protected them, surveyed and mapped the terrain, and built roads. Too much territory and too few men made soldiering in Dakota a tough go.

Lewis and Clark in South Dakota
The exhibition discusses the animals, plants, and people that the Corps of Discovery encountered in what would one day be South Dakota.

Life Underground: Hard Rock Mining in the Black Hills
The exhibition details the importance of hard rock mining to the Black Hills and South Dakota, while examining the industry's environmental legacy.

Living Traditions: Dakota, Nakota, Lakota Art
The Sioux Nation is made up of seven groups collectively called Oceti Sakowin, or "Seven Council Fires." Explore the art of the Dakota, Nakota, and Lakota people - features examples from the museum collection.

Marketing Dakota
For Dakota, political, social and economic growth depended on bringing in people. Communities, railroads and the government all advertised aggressively. Reality seldom got in the way of a good promotional line.

Properties of History: Exploring South Dakota's Historic Places
Explore a small portion of the many historic properties in the state while learning about the importance of preserving our history by holding onto these places.

South Dakota Communicates
Explore telephone history in the state. Both small independent companies and "Ma Bell" played an important role in keeping the phones ringing.

Traveling exhibits are available and can be rented in 8-week increments. The base fee is $25 per 8-week period. This price requires the renter to pick up and drop off the exhibit within 2 weeks of the rental period. Exhibits pick up and drop off happens at the Cultural Heritage Center, 900 Governor's Drive, Pierre, SD.

The Historical Society will arrange shipping to locations within South Dakota for an additional $125 per exhibit, for a total cost of $150. Exhibits will generally ship 2 weeks prior to the start of the rental period.

For more information or to book a traveling exhibit please email or call Daniel Moeckly at 605-773-4373.

Traveling Exhibit Brochure
Traveling Exhibit Contract

-- Coming in 2026 --

Enjoy sneak peeks at the history currently on exhibit, then come see it in real life!

The following exhibits were formerly installed in the Cultural Heritage Center galleries. These exhibits allow us to bring you much more South Dakota history than we can fit in our galleries at any one time.

-- Coming in 2027 --

The South Dakota State Historical Society is laying plans to work with partners in local history each year to increase awareness and reach of exhibits from across our state.

-- Coming in 2028 --

The South Dakota State Historical Society is now prototyping fully virtual exhibits. We plan to bring you exclusive opportunities to see special exhibitions curated in new and exciting ways.