The Journey Museum
The Journey Museum
4.5
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
About
Open all year long! Your Black Hills Journey starts here. The Journey Museum brings together four major prehistoric and historic collections to tell the complete story of the Western Great Plains - from the perspective of the Lakotas and the pioneers who shaped its past to the scientists who now study it. Providing special programs and interactive learning experiences for all ages is our mission.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
410 reviews
Excellent
249
Very good
119
Average
32
Poor
6
Terrible
4
Ambassador701121
9 contributions
Jul 2020 • Family
We visited this 4th of July, 2020. The museum is now open a few days a week, so check the website. You can sign up to get notifications about the dates they will open.
The staff has done an amazing job making the place Covid-19 ready. Masks are required (there are handmade ones available if you didn't bring one), numerous hand sanitizer stations, select seating for the videos, and even the bathroom stalls and sinks were spaced. The gift shop is closed, but they will open and get what you want to see. Some of the museum hands-on components are not available, but there is plenty to see from the creation through modern day.
Go visit! The staff would love to have visitors after all these months of closure. It is worth a few hours of your time.
The staff has done an amazing job making the place Covid-19 ready. Masks are required (there are handmade ones available if you didn't bring one), numerous hand sanitizer stations, select seating for the videos, and even the bathroom stalls and sinks were spaced. The gift shop is closed, but they will open and get what you want to see. Some of the museum hands-on components are not available, but there is plenty to see from the creation through modern day.
Go visit! The staff would love to have visitors after all these months of closure. It is worth a few hours of your time.
Written 4 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We absolutely welcome all visitors. Thanks for the great review!
Written 8 July 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Angela D
4 contributions
Sept 2020 • Family
I went at 1pm in the afternoon on a Tuesday. There was one other family in the entire museum. My girls and I were turned away because we won’t wear masks for health reasons. I would have been able to maintain 6ft to 100ft if anyone because the place was completely empty - it wasn’t about health protection or safety. There was no apology or concern for our health issues.
Written 24 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kimberly K
3 contributions
Jul 2022
The Journey Museum was an unexpected treasure! We took our family to this museum and did not expect to enjoy it as much as we did. We didn't budget enough time to spend there. The exhibits are extremely well done and appeal to individuals of all ages. Our group ranged in ages 6 - 71 with multiple teenagers who were all engaged for hours at the musuem. I have been to local, regional and national museums and this is one of my favorites! Definately worth checking out!
Written 15 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gary W
Sioux Falls, SD99 contributions
Nov 2021
This should be the number one entertainment place in Rapid City! Friends suggested an afternoon at the Journey Museum. Four hours were not enough!!! After receiving a senior discount, we were entertained with professional displays from paleontology (dinosaurs and actual rocks with tracks, etc.), mineralogy, astrology, to many on Native cultures with food, clothing and weapons transition into the twentieth-century Black Hills. Absolutely amazing. We stopped viewing every time there was a short or long film in the auditorium--four stunningly beautiful films. Although there are many interactive places for children, adults can be entertained for hours. We need to go back to finish viewing all displays, study others more, and take in their invited historical speakers.
Written 15 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jonathan J
42 contributions
Jun 2021 • Family
This museum is very educational regarding the history of the area, including Native American and cowboy contributions to its story. It also includes a look at the solar system. In the theatre with the solar system presentation, rather than playing a professionally done video, one of the staff members was looking through notes and explaining the images on screen. It was fairly obvious she was new to this and wasnt super comfortable. Not sure why they dont just have a professionally done movie that they play. The museum overall was very interesting and educational, detailing the history of the area.
Written 20 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carol Mcc
1 contribution
Jun 2021
This was an AMAZING museum - exceptionally well done with exhibits charting the history of the Black Hills from prehistory through modern times. You could easily spend an entire day here. We really loved the short film telling the Lakota Star Knowledge: Fallen Stars and Devil's Tower. Highly recommend!
Written 23 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Purdywisgal
La Crosse, WI14 contributions
Jun 2021 • Family
We were visiting the area and decided to do something in town. This was a hidden gem. I love history and this museum had so many artifcts from the Native Americans and the early settlers of the Dakotas. The museum also had a science section about the rocks and dinosaurs foind in the area.
There was a great amount of hands on areas for children and videos throughout the exhibits.
We also took in the planetarium show find on the other side of the museum. It was an enjoyable couple of hours for this history loving family!
There was a great amount of hands on areas for children and videos throughout the exhibits.
We also took in the planetarium show find on the other side of the museum. It was an enjoyable couple of hours for this history loving family!
Written 9 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Linda T
Asheville, NC33 contributions
Aug 2022
This should be your Number 1 stop. The museum provides an excellent overview of the history of the area, balancing information about the white founders/settlers with a reasonably accurate telling of the original inhabitants. We allocated about an hour for this museum but we realize now that 3 would have been more helpful. All the good reports by other reviewers are accurate. Go! Now! And add the geology museum because it's excellent, too!
Written 8 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Richard W
2 contributions
Sept 2024 • Friends
We visited the Journey Museum as part of a tour group and had arranged to have a docent guide us through the museum. Our docent had plans for the afternoon and could only spend a half hour with us. The theater for the movie was occupied with a private group so we were not able to see the film. Our docent blitzed through the museum and dropped us in the gift shop. When we asked to see the movie we were told the theater was closed for the day. What we saw of the museum looked very interesting but the experience fell far short of its potential.
Written 10 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alabama
Birmingham, AL562 contributions
Sept 2022 • Couples
We were looking for a place to spend a couple of hours before we flew back home after a week in the area. I was worried this would just be a museum for kids, but it was actually a compelling museum for all ages. It is well organized and addresses multiple topics — from geology and anthropology to Lakota culture to fur trapping and early settlers and much more. Very well done, and a great summary of all we saw during our visit to western South Dakota.
Written 9 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I would like to know how much time most adults without children spend at the Journey Museum?
Written 28 April 2016
This is not a large museum and the exhibits are clearly marked but not overly "word-y". Two hours should be adequate if you move right along. But I must admit I spent ALOT of time looking at those items that had a past link in my family's life.
Written 28 April 2016
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