South Dakota State Agricultural Museum

Locals and tourists alike flock to the South Dakota State Agricultural Museum in droves every year. Whether you are an agricultural geek, historical buff, or just a person fascinated by the development of the United States Great Plains farmland, this is the museum for you.

Children ages 1-6 will love the ag-xploration gallery where they can use a mock auger to move grain, gather eggs, and sell goods. Not only will kids have fun, they will learn a little more about how farming became so essential and profitable.

What’s more, the origins of the steam-engine tractor exhibit will give all who visit a broader grasp of the importance of the steam-engine. Of course its importance is not limited to the train system, but also agriculture! Without this, who knows if the U.S would have become the agricultural superpower it had been during the period! 

For history buffs, the replica of the American Farmhouse will certainly fascinate. The farmhouse was a universal aspect of frontier life in The Great Plains during westward expansion and beyond. Other exhibits include the Schank Family history which chronicles the life of an American frontier family from 1879 onward. Enduring heartache and hardship, frigid winters and scorching summers, this family perfectly encapsulates what it meant to be a frontier family. 

Overall, visitors will have found a gem if they have the opportunity to visit the South Dakota State Agricultural Museum. It offers the historical context needed to understand the growth and success of American agriculture!