South Dakota Heritage
South Dakota is home of the Sioux Nation. Historically, this group consisted of the Teton, Yankton and Santee tribes, which were composed of smaller bands of people. Each band spoke one of three dialects: Dakota, Lakota or Nakota. Today, approximately 59,000 Native Americans live in South Dakota.
There are nine tribal governments within the state - six with reservation boundaries and three without. They include the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Crow Creek Sioux Tribe, Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe, Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, Oglala Sioux Tribe, Rosebud Sioux Tribe, Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and Yankton Sioux Tribe.
The Sioux Nation plays a pivotal role in the state's history and heritage. Landmarks across South Dakota bear Lakota names such as "paha sapa" (Black Hills) and "mako sica" (Badlands). Museums and art galleries showcase tribal arts such as beadwork, star quilts and winter counts. And Pow Wows - traditional celebrations of singing and dancing - are held year-round.
Museums that Celebrate South Dakota’s Heritage
Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science, Sioux Falls
Unearth your own dinosaur bone at the Kirby Science Center in the Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science in Sioux Falls. The center is home to more than 80 hands-on science exhibits and a full-size replica of a Tyrannosaurus Rex found in western South Dakota.
Visitors may also touch a real dinosaur bone and a fossilized dinosaur egg. Children and adults may do their own excavating to discover dinosaur bone replicas. For youngsters, the center offers a giant bone puzzle of the state fossil, the Triceratops.
Admission charged. Call 1-877-WASHPAV (877-927-4728) or visit www.washingtonpavilion.org
Museum of Geology, Rapid City
With a collection of 250,000 vertebrae fossils and 6,000 minerals, the Museum of Geology always has interesting prehistoric stories to tell. Visitors may view fossils of ancient residents of South Dakota, such as saber-tooth cats, small camels and giant pigs. The museum is located on the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology campus in Rapid City. Free admission. Call (605) 394-2467 or 1-800-544-8162 ext 2467 or visit www.sdsmt.edu
The Black Hills Museum of Natural History, Hill City
The Black Hills Museum of Natural History in Hill City is home to 65-million-year-old Stan, one of the two most complete Tyrannosaurus rex fossils ever found. Paleontologists from the museum have participated in the excavation and restoration of eight T-Rex skeletons since 1990. See "Stan," along with an immense collection of invertebrate, mammal and fish fossils. The museum also boasts a massive assortment of minerals and agates, and a vast meteorite collection. Free admission. Call (605) 574-4505 or visit www.bhmnh.org
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