Science Nerds

If you’re a science nerd, you’re in good company when you stay with us. There are literally dozens of museums in the region that focus on everything from Western history to geology to botany to paleontology – we’ve listed some of them here for you. Even better, you can explore, see, and touch science and history here. A favorite is agate hunting!

Pro tip: Go see the Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center (link below). It talks about the gold mining history of the region as well as the local Nobel-prize winning physics research and deep underground physics research that is currently drawing scientists from around the world.
Pro tip: See if you can get a tour of the basement of the Black Hills Mining Museum in Lead. You won’t be sorry!

Spearfish:

• D.C. Booth Fish Hatchery
• High Plains Western Heritage Center
• Vore Buffalo Jump

Within 30 minutes:

Deadwood:

• Adams Museum
• Days of ’76 Museum
• Tatanka – Story of the Bison

Lead:

• Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center
• Black Hills Mining Museum

Within an hour:

Rapid City:

• The Journey Museum
• Museum of Geology
• South Dakota Air and Space Museum
• Dahl Arts Center
• The Dinosaur Museum

Southern Hills (about 90 mins):

• Rock Hounding
• The Mammoth Site
• The Museum at Black Hills Institute (fossils)