YOUR EXPECTATIONS
Mitchell beckons with unique attractions and activities for every traveler. The Corn Palace stands as a must-see, adorned with corn murals showcasing the region’s agricultural history. History buffs can explore the Dakota Discovery Museum, while nature enthusiasts can unwind at Lake Mitchell. The Prehistoric Indian Village offers a glimpse into Native American life. From fishing to cultural festivals like the Corn Palace Festival, Mitchell promises a diverse and memorable experience for all.
Corn Palace
This beautiful, whimsical community icon has attracted the unusual, the notable and the road-weary to Mitchell’s Main Street for more than 125 years. The World’s Only Corn Palace undergoes a majestic transformation each year, when some 325,000 colorful ears of corn are painstakingly sliced and nailed into place. Throughout this process, which can only be described as corn-by-numbers, enormous murals appear, creating a larger-than-life work of folk art.
The Prehistoric Indian Village
The Prehistoric Indian Village on the shores of Lake Mitchell is the only active archaeological site in South Dakota that is open to the public. Inside the Thomsen Center Archeodome, summer visitors can watch archeology students and interns uncover clues about the people who lived here 1,000 years ago.
Attractions
Odyssey Luxury 5 Cinema
Board & Brush
Your Shop
Dakota Discovery Museum
At Dakota Discovery on the campus of Dakota Wesleyan University, art and artifacts blend to tell the story of the rich culture of the Great Plains tribal residents and settlers alike. Learn about the Native Americans and the Plains culture that flourished before the European settlers arrived. Explore the stories of hunting, fur trapping and trading, farming, ranching, mining and religious freedom. Learn about these early settlers, and the impact of the fur trade and the Gold rush.
McGovern Legacy Museum
The McGovern Legacy Museum offers a unique look at the lives of George and Eleanor McGovern, two of Dakota Wesleyan University’s most distinguished alumni. The exhibit begins with the McGoverns’ humble upbringing in rural South Dakota, continues through the challenges they faced during World War II as a young married couple trying to raise a family, and their years as leaders in the South Dakota Democratic Party.
Carnegie Resource Center
The Carnegie Resource Center is home to the Mitchell Area Historical Society and Mitchell Area Genealogical Society, and houses several original Oscar Howe works of art. Most notably, Howe’s 1940 mural, “Sun and Rain Clouds Over Hills,” adorns the dome of the building and is one of his most well-known works.
