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Cultural Heritage Center to participate in 14th annual Smithsonian magazine Museum Day event

On Saturday, Sept. 22, all visitors to the Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre will be welcomed free of charge courtesy of Smithsonian magazine.

This is the 14th anniversary of the event across the nation, and the sixth since the Museum of the South Dakota State Historical Society became a Smithsonian Affiliate.

The event represents the Smithsonian’s commitment to make museums accessible to everyone across all 50 states by providing free admission to patrons, like the admissions policy of Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C. Last year’s event drew more than 200,000 visitors nationwide, and 2018 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.” 

The museum at the Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre became an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution in January 2013.  

On Sept. 22, the museum will also be conducting its annual “Traditional Arts Day” program with American Indian artists demonstrating their craft activities from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. CDT. There will also be a showing of the Smithsonian Channel™ film “Pocahontas: Beyond the Myth” at 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

Visitors to the Museum of the South Dakota State Historical Society will be admitted free of charge on Sept. 22, but if they want to visit other participants in Museum Day, visitors merely 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.

Museum Day tickets are valid on Sept. 22 only. At the Cultural Heritage Center, kids 17 and under are always admitted for free.

“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 ‘Spirit of the 70s’ exhibit, which has proven to be quite popular over the summer.”

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 exhibits, special events and upcoming activities.          

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.