Mead Museum

The Mead Museum is a beautiful, vibrant center in Yankton, SD showcasing local and regional history. Housed in a stately1909 building made of Sioux Quartzite pink rock with original marble staircase, visitors can enjoy three floors of exhibits including Journeying Forward: Connecting Cultures which features the history of the American Indian culture of the region through the Lewis & Clark Expedition of 1804-1806. 

NEW ON DISPLAY APRIL 2025: A Jefferson Peace Medal. The 4-inch Jefferson Peace Medals are extremely rare and historically significant artifacts from the early 19th century. These medals were commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson as part of diplomatic efforts with Native American tribes, serving as symbols of goodwill and alliance between the U.S. government and Indigenous leaders.! In addition to the peace medal, the Journeying Forward exhibit recently had an upgrade in its history of the Ihanktonwan and Oceti Sakowin Nations, an important narrative to Yankton regional history. This exhibit also links the Calumet Bluffs meeting of Lewis and Clark and the Ihanktowan leaders to the historic Calumet Ceremony among the Native Nations. The Mead Museum is open 7 days a week in the summer and 6 days a week in the winter (year round). www.meadbuilding.org