Mead Museum

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Mead Museum New wing OPENING October 3, 2026: A Dakota Story- The 1st 100 years of Yankton’s history. See a 220-year old Lewis & Clark Jefferson Peace Medal! Dr. Leonard C.

Visit 3 floors: Children's Transportation Museum, Yankton State Hospital exhibit & Yankton College galleries. Built in 1909, the Mead Building was originally used as patient housing for women as part of the Yankton State Hospital operations until the 1980’s when patient numbers dropped. Mead was the architect behind the Mead Building and many others on the historic campus. The building was designed to provide a home for women where they could be cared for with compassion and dignity. Between 2008 and 2018, the Yankton County Historical Society and Mead Building Restoration Committee restored the historic Mead Building and moved its operations to the newly created Mead Museum. Today the Mead Museum houses over 45,000 historic artifacts. The museum features changing and traveling exhibits throughout the year and posts these scheduled exhibits on their website. Permanent exhibits include:
* Journeying Forward: Connecting Cultures features the history of the American Indian culture of the region through the Lewis & Clark Expedition of 1804-1806
* Yankton State Hospital Minds, Methods, and Medicine features four rooms dedicated to the architectural history of the historic South Dakota Human Services Center, medical practices in mental health, day in the life of a Yankton State Hospital patient, farm therapy and staff life
* Children's Transportation Museum provides hands-on history experiences for children of every age

The Mead Museum is also opening an outdoor history experience called Heritage Park. We strongly recommend repeat visits to the Mead Museum as permanent and changing exhibits are being developed and added every year. Last, if you are looking for that something special, the Mead Museum does have a Mead Mercantile Gift Shop for your souvenir or gift giving needs.

You just never know what you might find in our gift shop! What about a unique shot glass for whimsical gift giving? Ou...
10/20/2026

You just never know what you might find in our gift shop! What about a unique shot glass for whimsical gift giving? Our gift shop is open whenever the museum is. Stop out to see what’s new!

10/18/2026

Meadbuilding.org for online form and payment link. Over 90 trees this year! The 9th annual event!

YANKTON, SD - Halloween is on a Saturday this year and The Mead Museum is inviting community members to stay overnight a...
10/18/2026

YANKTON, SD - Halloween is on a Saturday this year and The Mead Museum is inviting community members to stay overnight at the museum! The Haunted Overnight Experience will be held Saturday, October 31 from 7pm through Sunday, November 1 at 7am. The event includes a midnight tour; and attendees will be taken to places in the historic 1909 building that are typically off-limit to the public. The building was originally used as patient housing for women as part of the Yankton State Hospital operations. Staff will share their spooky stories, and the Phantasm Paranormal Investigative team and a tarot card reader will be there throughout the night. Tickets are $50 and include snacks and morning breakfast. Participants must be 16 or older. Tickets can be bought online at www.meadbuilding.org or https://bit.ly/MeadOvernight or by calling the office at 605-665-3898.

10/17/2026

Mead Museum Haunted Overnight Experience

~Hallway of Lost History~Can you identify these performers? If so, leave a comment.
10/17/2026

~Hallway of Lost History~
Can you identify these performers? If so, leave a comment.

10/16/2026

Mead Museum Haunted Overnight Experience

10/14/2026

$50 donation. Decorate a holiday tree to promote your business, to celebrate your organization, or honor your family!

This week’s is the premier issue of South Dakota Magazine. The first issue came out in May 1985. South Dakota Magazine...
10/14/2026

This week’s is the premier issue of South Dakota Magazine. The first issue came out in May 1985. South Dakota Magazine was founded by Bernie Hunhoff. The Hunhoffs wanted to make South Dakota Magazine the magazine of the people who care about what happens here.

This summer, we were honored to have a John Beheler art exhibition onsite. We have notecards of his beautiful prints in ...
10/13/2026

This summer, we were honored to have a John Beheler art exhibition onsite. We have notecards of his beautiful prints in the gift shop.

10/11/2026

The museum is closed today Sunday Oct 11th for a special event.
We will be open tomorrow!

Address

82 Mickelson Drive
Yankton, SD
57078

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 1pm - 5pm
Sunday 1pm - 5pm

Telephone

+16056653898

Website

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