History

1880 Town Step back in history at this Wild West town created in the 1970s for a film and now featuring antiques and remains from area buildings. Stop in at the saloon for a sarsaparilla soda and visit the Vanishing Prairie Museum to learn prairie history. Exit 170, I-90, Murdo, SD; +1 605 344 2236. Fee.

Agricultural Heritage Museum Discover Native American techniques to farm land. Tour a collection of tractors from various historical periods. Visit a homesteader's claim shanty from 1882. 925 11th St., Brookings, SD; +1 605 688 6226.

Big Thunder Gold Mine Grab your hard hat to explore the tunnels of this 1890s-era mine. See original equipment and machinery used to extract gold from rock, and learn techniques used by turn-of-the-century miners. Then try your luck panning for gold. 604 Blair St., Keystone, SD; +1 800 314 3917. Fee.

Black Hills Mining Museum Compare past and present-day mining tools and techniques in a replica mine, then pan for nuggets of gold. Learn about different minerals and how mining has impacted the region's landscape and history. 323 W. Main St., Lead, SD; +1 605 584 1605. Fee for mine tour.

Borglum Historical Center Hear the story of the man who created Mount Rushmore, sculptor Gutzon Borglum; watch original newsreels from the 1920s and '30s; size up Mount Rushmore's actual scale as you stand next to a replica of the carving of Abraham Lincoln's eye. 342 Winter St., Keystone, SD; +1 605 666 4448. Fee.

Broken Boot Gold Mine Navigate the underground tunnels of a historic mine. Hear tales of the dangerous quest for gold in the Black Hills. Check out antique mining tools and learn how they were used. Put your newfound knowledge to the test by panning for your own gold. 1200 Pioneer Way, Deadwood, SD; +1 605 578 1876. Fee.

Crazy Horse Memorial and Indian Museum of North America Stare up at the majestic stone profile of Lakota warrior Crazy Horse. At the nearby Indian Museum of North America, view artwork, clothing, tribal flags, and housing styles of different Native American Tribes. Learn about the sculptor behind the Crazy Horse Memorial. 12151 Ave. of the Chiefs, Crazy Horse, SD; +1 605 673 4681. Fee.

Dacotah Prairie Museum Peek into the pages of South Dakota's history; visit the past as you view vintage household items and personal belongings—art, jewelry—of immigrants from different cultures. Exhibits include a mimeograph machine, musical instruments, an iron lung, and more. 21 S. Main St., Aberdeen, SD; +1 605 626 7117.

DC Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery Learn about the history of fisheries and how they have changed over the years. Examine a train that carried fish as passengers. Tour the hatchery's exhibits and peer at schools of trout through underwater windows. 423 Hatchery Circle, Spearfish, SD; +1 605 642 7730.

Fort Sisseton Historic State Park Learn about historic confrontations between 19th-century settlers and Native Americans at this fort from the mid-1800s. Tour preserved barracks, a guardhouse, and living areas once used by soldiers and doctors. Check the calendar for holiday celebrations, festivals, and historical reenactments here. 11907 434th Ave., Lake City, SD; +1 605 448 5474. Fee.

The Mammoth Site In summer, peer over the shoulders of archaeologists and paleontologists as they work at this dig site to unearth evidence of prehistoric life. Learn about the massive woolly mammoth and other ancient creatures that lived in the area, and learn how fossils and minerals shed light on the past. 1800 Hwy. 18 Bypass, Hot Springs, SD; +1 605 745 6017. Fee.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial Stand at the foot of Mount Rushmore and gaze up at the magisterial features of presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Teddy Roosevelt. Walk the Avenue of Flags, then find everything you ever wanted to know about this site at the Lincoln Borglum Museum. Hwy. 244, Keystone, SD; +1 605 574 2523.

Museum of Wildlife, Science, and Industry Peruse an impressive cross-section of South Dakota history preserved in artifacts housed in the museum's 24 buildings. View farm tools, wedding gowns, horse-drawn buggies, and more. 760 W. Hwy. 12, Webster, SD; +1 605 345 4751.

Oahe Dam Begin at the visitors center overlooking Lake Oahe to learn about the lake's history, the local ecosystem, and the building of the Oahe Dam. In summer, tour the dam and powerhouse to find out how millions of gallons of rushing water create electricity used in five states. 28563 Powerhouse Rd., Pierre, SD; +1 605 224 5862.

Old Courthouse Museum Meander three stories of ever-changing exhibits that focus on different aspects of the region's past. Stop in for musical performances, special children's activities, and a variety of workshops, including photo preservation and card games. Or just admire the architecture and artwork of this restored quartzite building. 200 W. 6th St., Sioux Falls, SD; +1 605 367 4210.

Pioneer Historical Museum Steep yourself in rural life as it was before the days of modern technology; examine tools, furniture, and medical equipment used by 1800s-era settlers; see examples of early photographs taken in the Black Hills. 300 N. Chicago St., Hot Springs, SD; +1 605 745 5147. Fee.

President's Park Pose next to the towering faces of U.S. presidents, from George Washington to Bill Clinton. Stroll past impressive busts of each of the leaders, pausing to read fun and obscure facts about the men and their wives. Hwy. 85, Exit 14A, Lead, SD; +1 605 584 9925. Fee.

South Dakota Air and Space Museum Visit this museum, located in an aircraft hangar on Ellsworth Air Force Base, to see military aircraft from past wars, find out how missiles are launched, tour a real missile silo, even watch a re-creation of an actual missile launch. 2890 Davis Dr., Rapid City, SD; +1 605 385 5189.

South Dakota National Guard Museum Get an up-close look at a real Sherman Tank and an A-7-D jet. Learn about the conflicts and peacekeeping missions that have involved U.S. troops since the Civil War. Focus on South Dakota's role in each of these conflicts. 301 E. Dakota Ave., Pierre, SD; +1 605 224 9991.

USS South Dakota Battleship Memorial and Museum Get to know the thrilling history of one of the most famous WWII battleships by viewing a full-scale replica of the ship, complete with its original anchor. In the museum, see the ship's radar screen and artifacts from its crew. Pay tribute to the triumphs and sacrifices of WWII soldiers that sailed aboard this much-decorated vessel. Sherman Park, 12 St. and Kiwanis Ave., Sioux Falls, SD; +1 605 367 7141.