Podcast: An insider’s tour of South Dakota’s state museum renovation
Jul 03, 2026 | 11:42 am ET
Description
South Dakota's Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre displays a wooden carving of a horse by artist Joseph No Two Horns, crafted after his warhorse died during the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876. An image of the carving serves as the logo for the South Dakota State Historical Society. (Photo by Meghan O'Brien/South Dakota Searchlight)
After three years, $14 million in funding from state lawmakers and $2 million from donors, the museum at South Dakota’s Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre opened its doors again to the public this week. The renovations include upgraded museum exhibits and additional space for the State Historical Society to continue collecting for decades to come. The South Dakota Historical Society Foundation is still hoping to raise another $2 million for more new exhibits.
Searchlight Report host Meghan O’Brien got a first-look tour with Museum Director David Grabitske and Curator of Collections Katy Schmidt to learn more about the new ways visitors can interact with South Dakota history — including a “masterwork of Native American art” that is now more prominently displayed, and a collection of traditional Native American clothing that had a remarkable journey to the museum.
Click here to access a transcript of this episode.
Pierre, SD
