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A Trek Through Time

History comes alive when you walk through the doors of The Journey Museum & Learning Center. Combining major prehistoric and historic collections, a tour through this museum tells the story of Rapid City and the Black Hills from different points in time. Discover hands-on activities, interactive displays and plenty of culture! Located conveniently Downtown Rapid City it’s easy to get to and overflowing with so much information you’ll want to make use of the two-day admission just to take it all in!

Theatre

Theater

Start your journey in the theater. Sit back, relax and take in the visual beauty of the Black Hills. The theater offers multiple film opportunities like “The Journey”, “Lakota Star Knowledge”, and “Over the Black Hills” which gives you an eagle eye perspective of the beauty of the hills. These films offer the perfect introduction to our area and are just a taste of what you’ll find on the other side of the theater doors.

Star Room

Star Room

Your trek starts off the same way the beginning of time did, an endless blanket of stars. The Star Room is only illuminated by the twinkling lights of distance stars and galaxies. Float through space while listening to scientific and cultural viewpoints describing the very beginning.

Black-Hills-Layers

Geology

Much like at the beginning of time, light greets you as you exit the Star Room and enter into the formation of Earth. This exhibit displays the unique Geological formations that make-up the Black Hills and Badlands area. Feel your way along the layers of rock that lay beneath your feet as you learn about the creation of the granite wonders of the Black Hills and the eroded sediment layers found in Badlands National Park. This area is home to some of the most diverse and complete prehistoric representations of the earth’s evolution, and it’s all laid out for you in one room.

Dinosaurs

Paleontology

As the Earth transformed so do the walls of The Journey Museum & Learning Center. Welcome next to the “Land of Dinosaurs”. In this section, you can join your kids in uncovering fossils in the Paleontology Field Tent, stand face-to-face with a fossil replica of the Allosaurus “Alli”, and even touch the fossil of a T-rex tooth that was found in the Black Hills area.

Archaeology

Archaeology

The Journey Museum & Learning Center has done an outstanding job of documenting and portraying the discoveries of early civilization in the Black Hills. Kids can discover the excitement of uncovering artifacts in the mock archaeological dig site, touch artifacts that date back 10,000 years and learn how society used to function.

Journey-Museum

Native American

Native American culture is deeply rooted into the Black Hills. The Sioux Indian Museum collection at The Journey Museum & Learning Center displays many colorful, contemporary and traditional Native American artwork along with information about the tribes of our area and their history. As you walk through this exhibit take in the beautifully crafted regalia and learn the purpose each piece served. Sit down at the entrance of the storyteller’s tipi and listen to a hologram of Nellie Two Bulls as she talks about the “old ways”.

Pioneer

Pioneer

During the Pioneer age, word spread of gold in the Black Hills attracted thousands to the area in hopes of finding this sparkling treasure. This exhibit showcases what life was like in these times from the lawlessness of early Deadwood, to the expeditions of Lt. Col. George Custer, as wells as a peek of what life was like inside of a pioneer home and so much more!

The Journey Museum & Learning Center is also home to some great rotating displays that highlight important and historical events, story walls, historical storytelling opportunities, daily Discovery Expedition, a Lakota Culture program, and summer camp opportunities!

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