Cultural Heritage Center Renovation Update

 

Most Recent Draft Gallery Design

Each year, the Cultural Heritage Center (CHC) welcomes more than 16,000 people from every state and 20 foreign countries. It has been a symbol of South Dakota heritage since 1989, when it opened as part of the state's centennial celebration. Three decades later, it's time to improve experiences as a place for South Dakotans and be ready to observe America's 250th in 2026.

The CHC is home to the South Dakota State Historical Society, encompassing the state history museum, state archives, South Dakota Historical Society Press, state historic preservation office and our Foundation partners. Along with the Archeological Research Center in Rapid City, the Society empowers audiences to experience South Dakota's stories just as it has done since 1862. Physical construction of the Cultural Heritage Center is scheduled to conclude in late September of 2024. However, work on the new museum exhibit continues through the end of 2025. Only the lobby and offices will be useable and the museum will remain closed until late 2025. Stay tuned right here for further details. 

The project had three complimentary goals:

• - The first performed was maintenance and repair work on the building, including roof, HVAC, lobby, and more.
• - The second main area is creating more storage capacity to add an additional twenty to thirty years to the building's storage life.
• - The last remaining goal will be to update the permanent exhibits of our museum with support from the South Dakota Historical Society Foundation.

Partial list of work completed to date:

• - Collections moved offsite
• - History on the Road placed museum artifacts in Sioux Falls, Spearfish, Pierre, and Yankton
• - Staff in Pierre working from temporary facilities
• - Project has passed 95 percent completion 
• - Project is on time and on budget 
• - Roof was finished in December 2023
• - New spaces were refurbished with fresh paint, lighting, and floor coverings in a classic yet contemporary style.
• - The storage annex walls are up
• - The structure of the new education space can be seen from Governors Drive
• - Share Your Voice public input sessions about the new exhibit were held in 13 communities across the state along with academic and tribal advisiors.

The expected timeline to reopen to the public is as follows:

-Historical Society Staff will start moving back into the building on September 24th, 2024.

-The museum collection will return to the building one month after construction is complete. 

-The Heritage Store inside of the Cultural Heritage Center will reopen. 

-Archives Research room will reopen to the public after the full collection is returned back to the building.

-The museum exhibit gallery will reopen to the public in December of 2025. 

Those interested in supporting the project by partnering with the South Dakota Historical Society Foundation, please contact Catherine Forsch at 605-773-6003 or online.

To contact us, consult office and staff directories.

Those interested in bidding on the project, please contact the South Dakota State Engineer.