The holidays come early at the Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre.
On Saturday, Sept. 23, all visitors will be welcomed free of charge courtesy of Smithsonian Magazine during the Museum Day Live! program. This is the 13th anniversary of the event across the nation, and the fifth since the Museum of the South Dakota State Historical Society became a Smithsonian Affiliate in 2013.
Museum Day Live! represents the Smithsonian’s commitment to make museums accessible to everyone across all 50 states by providing free admission to patrons, similar to the admissions policy of Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C. Last year’s event drew over 200,000 visitors, and 2017 promises to be even bigger.
“We are delighted to participate in this program with our partners at the Smithsonian and many other museums around the nation,” said Jay Smith, museum director. “It will be great to see thousands of people taking advantage of this unique opportunity to visit some of the best museums in the world, and we are proud to stand alongside so many of our colleagues participating in this project.”
On Sept. 23, the museum will also be conducting its annual “Traditional Arts Day” program with four American Indian artists demonstrating their craft activities from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. CDT.
To obtain free tickets to the museum, visitors need to visit Smithsonian.com/museumday, fill out a short form, and they will receive free tickets to the Cultural Heritage Center and other participating institutions.
Museums around the nation are participating in the Museum Day Live! program on Sept. 23, including the Museum of the South Dakota State Historical Society. To view the list of participating institutions around the nation, go to: Smithsonian.com/museumday.
Smithsonian Museum Day Live! tickets are valid only on Sept. 23 at the Cultural Heritage Center. Children 17 and under are always free at the Cultural Heritage Center.
“This is a great opportunity to come out and enjoy Traditional Arts Day,” said Jay D. Vogt, director of the South Dakota State Historical Society. “People can also visit the exhibit ‘A Life’s Work: Paul Goble Illustrations of American Indian Stories,’ which will be closing on Sept. 24.”
The museum is open from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. CDT Monday through Saturday, and 1-4:30 p.m. on Sundays and most holidays. Call 605-773-3458 for more information.
About the South Dakota State Historical Society
The South Dakota State Historical Society is a division of the Department of Education. The State Historical Society, an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, is headquartered at the South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre. The center houses the society’s world-class museum, the archives, and the historic preservation, publishing and administrative/development offices. Call 605-773-3458 or visit www.history.sd.gov for more information. The society also has an archaeology office in Rapid City; call 605-394-1936 for more information.
About Smithsonian Affiliations
Established in 1996, Smithsonian Affiliations is a national outreach program that develops long-term collaborative partnerships with museums, educational and cultural organizations to enrich communities with Smithsonian resources. The long-term goal of Smithsonian Affiliations is to facilitate a two-way relationship among Affiliate organizations and the Smithsonian Institution to increase discovery and inspire lifelong learning in communities across America. More information about the Smithsonian Affiliations program and Affiliate activity is available at https://affiliations.si.edu.>
