The Journey Museum and Gardens
Encyclopedia
The Journey Museum and Gardens is a museum
in Rapid City, South Dakota
, USA with 7 acres (28,328 m²) of garden
s. It is set up as a journey through the history of the Black Hills
, starting with the Native American creation stories, moving into the 2.5 billion years of history in the rock record with the geology
exhibit, paleontology
, archaeology
, Native American
inhabitants, and concluding with the pioneers that traveled west.
provides artifacts and information for patrons to better understand the timeline. Along with the geology section is the paleontology section with fossils, much of which is on loan from the Black Hills Institute of Geological Resarch
in Hill City, South Dakota
. A model of an on-site dig with a tent provides patrons with a sense of field work, sometimes with a retired paleontologist working in it who can answer questions. A model of a T-Rex
and a Stegosaurus
accompanied by a roaring sound track are also included in the exhibit.
's Indian Arts and Crafts Board. Most of the collection is from the collection of a Native American arts collector who owned a trading post on the Rosebud Indian Reservation
. This part of the collection was collected from the 1890s to the 1930s. The Sioux Indian Museum contains beaded items
, ceremonial items, traditional Native American clothing, an exhibit of items made from animals, kids items (such as dolls and games), instruments, Native American saddles, and tipis. There is also a holographic
Native American elder who tells three stories.
, a board walk, saddle
s that you can try out, a hardware store modeled after the first major hardware store in South Dakota, and several story boards with information and artifacts about the pioneer days. It features famous local legends such as Jim Bridger
, General Custer
, Wild Bill Hickock, Sitting Bull
, Crazy Horse
, and Red Cloud
. It also covers the interaction between Native Americans and early settlers during the period from the first encounters to the modern day reconciliation.
houses.
robotics
classes and seminars.
Here is an example of the structure of one of their classes as posted on their website:
available. Primarily, the museum's education
department offers children's books, DVDs, "Teacher Ambassador Trunks," and "Experience Science Kits."
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
in Rapid City, South Dakota
Rapid City, South Dakota
Rapid City is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota, and the county seat of Pennington County. Named after Rapid Creek on which the city is established, it is set against the eastern slope of the Black Hills mountain range. The population was 67,956 as of the 2010 Census. Rapid...
, USA with 7 acres (28,328 m²) of garden
Garden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has...
s. It is set up as a journey through the history of the Black Hills
Black Hills
The Black Hills are a small, isolated mountain range rising from the Great Plains of North America in western South Dakota and extending into Wyoming, USA. Set off from the main body of the Rocky Mountains, the region is something of a geological anomaly—accurately described as an "island of...
, starting with the Native American creation stories, moving into the 2.5 billion years of history in the rock record with the geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
exhibit, paleontology
Paleontology
Paleontology "old, ancient", ὄν, ὀντ- "being, creature", and λόγος "speech, thought") is the study of prehistoric life. It includes the study of fossils to determine organisms' evolution and interactions with each other and their environments...
, archaeology
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
, Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
inhabitants, and concluding with the pioneers that traveled west.
Geology and paleontology
The Geology Gallery contains a wall that shows a 2.5 billion year rock record of the Black Hills area. The Museum of Geology at the South Dakota School of Mines and TechnologySouth Dakota School of Mines and Technology
The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology is a public institution of higher learning in Rapid City, South Dakota governed by the South Dakota Board of Regents. Founded in 1885 as the Dakota School of Mines, Tech offers degree programs in engineering and science fields. 2,354 students were...
provides artifacts and information for patrons to better understand the timeline. Along with the geology section is the paleontology section with fossils, much of which is on loan from the Black Hills Institute of Geological Resarch
Black Hills Institute of Geological Research, Inc.
The Black Hills Institute of Geological Research, Inc. is a private corporation specializing in the excavation and preparation of fossils, as well as the sale of both original fossil material and museum-quality replicas...
in Hill City, South Dakota
Hill City, South Dakota
Hill City is the oldest existing city in Pennington County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 948 at the 2010 census. Hill City is located southwest of Rapid City on State Highway 16 and on U.S. Route 385 that connects Deadwood to Hot Springs...
. A model of an on-site dig with a tent provides patrons with a sense of field work, sometimes with a retired paleontologist working in it who can answer questions. A model of a T-Rex
Tyrannosaurus
Tyrannosaurus meaning "tyrant," and sauros meaning "lizard") is a genus of coelurosaurian theropod dinosaur. The species Tyrannosaurus rex , commonly abbreviated to T. rex, is a fixture in popular culture. It lived throughout what is now western North America, with a much wider range than other...
and a Stegosaurus
Stegosaurus
Stegosaurus is a genus of armored stegosaurid dinosaur. They lived during the Late Jurassic period , some 155 to 150 million years ago in what is now western North America. In 2006, a specimen of Stegosaurus was announced from Portugal, showing that they were present in Europe as well...
accompanied by a roaring sound track are also included in the exhibit.
Archaeology
After the Geology and Paleontology exhibits is the Archaeology Gallery. This gallery is split into five sections, according to time period. It is divided into five sections listed in the chart below. The Archaeology Gallery contains artifacts and information from The South Dakota Archaeological Research Center.| Dates | Section |
|---|---|
| 7500 BC | Paleo-Indians |
| 7500-1500 | Plains Archaic |
| 1500-900 | Plains Woodland Formative stage The Formative Stage or "Neo-Indian period" is an archaeological term describing a particular developmental level. This stage from 1000 BCE to 500 CE is the third of five stages defined by Gordon Willey and Philip Phillips' 1958 book Method and Theory in American Archaeology.Cultures of the... |
| 900-250 | Plains Village Classic stage The Classic Stage is an archaeological term describing a particular developmental level dating from AD 500 to 1200. This stage is the fourth of five stages defined by Gordon Willey and Philip Phillips' 1958 book Method and Theory in American Archaeology.... |
| 250-50 BC | "Historic" Post-Classic stage The Post-Classic Stage is an archaeological term describing a particular developmental level. This stage is the fifth of five stages defined by Gordon Willey and Philip Phillips' 1958 book Method and Theory in American Archaeology.... |
Sioux Indian Museum
The Sioux Indian Museum, the next gallery after Archaeology, contains 5,500 pieces regulated by the United States Department of the InteriorUnited States Department of the Interior
The United States Department of the Interior is the United States federal executive department of the U.S. government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land and natural resources, and the administration of programs relating to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native...
's Indian Arts and Crafts Board. Most of the collection is from the collection of a Native American arts collector who owned a trading post on the Rosebud Indian Reservation
Rosebud Indian Reservation
The Rosebud Indian Reservation is an Indian reservation in South Dakota, United States. It is the home of the federally recognized Sicangu Oyate, also known as Sicangu Lakota, the Upper Brulé Sioux Nation, and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe , a branch of the Lakota people...
. This part of the collection was collected from the 1890s to the 1930s. The Sioux Indian Museum contains beaded items
Beadwork
Beadwork is the art or craft of attaching beads to one another or to cloth, usually by the use of a needle and thread or soft, flexible wire. Most beadwork takes the form of jewelry or other personal adornment, but beads are also used in wall hangings and sculpture.Beadwork techniques are broadly...
, ceremonial items, traditional Native American clothing, an exhibit of items made from animals, kids items (such as dolls and games), instruments, Native American saddles, and tipis. There is also a holographic
Holography
Holography is a technique that allows the light scattered from an object to be recorded and later reconstructed so that when an imaging system is placed in the reconstructed beam, an image of the object will be seen even when the object is no longer present...
Native American elder who tells three stories.
Pioneer
The Minnilusa Pioneer Gallery is the final gallery in the timeline layout of the museum. This collection has a trapper's cabinLog cabin
A log cabin is a house built from logs. It is a fairly simple type of log house. A distinction should be drawn between the traditional meanings of "log cabin" and "log house." Historically most "Log cabins" were a simple one- or 1½-story structures, somewhat impermanent, and less finished or less...
, a board walk, saddle
Saddle
A saddle is a supportive structure for a rider or other load, fastened to an animal's back by a girth. The most common type is the equestrian saddle designed for a horse, but specialized saddles have been created for camels and other creatures...
s that you can try out, a hardware store modeled after the first major hardware store in South Dakota, and several story boards with information and artifacts about the pioneer days. It features famous local legends such as Jim Bridger
Jim Bridger
James Felix "Jim" Bridger was among the foremost mountain men, trappers, scouts and guides who explored and trapped the Western United States during the decades of 1820-1850, as well as mediating between native tribes and encroaching whites...
, General Custer
George Armstrong Custer
George Armstrong Custer was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. Raised in Michigan and Ohio, Custer was admitted to West Point in 1858, where he graduated last in his class...
, Wild Bill Hickock, Sitting Bull
Sitting Bull
Sitting Bull Sitting Bull Sitting Bull (Lakota: Tȟatȟáŋka Íyotake (in Standard Lakota Orthography), also nicknamed Slon-he or "Slow"; (c. 1831 – December 15, 1890) was a Hunkpapa Lakota Sioux holy man who led his people as a tribal chief during years of resistance to United States government policies...
, Crazy Horse
Crazy Horse
Crazy Horse was a Native American war leader of the Oglala Lakota. He took up arms against the U.S...
, and Red Cloud
Red Cloud
Red Cloud , was a war leader and the head Chief of the Oglala Lakota . His reign was from 1868 to 1909...
. It also covers the interaction between Native Americans and early settlers during the period from the first encounters to the modern day reconciliation.
Adelstein Gallery
The Adelstein Gallery is a free gallery. Every few months the exhibit in the gallery changes. Sometimes the gallery will contain exhibits put up by outside entities, or contain an exhibit relating to the current time of the year. The exhibit usually relates to the local area. Common exhibit themes have been artwork or cowboy/rodeo items, but it ranges far beyond these. It can also be rented by individuals or groups for private or public events.Small exhibits
The Journey Museum has several side exhibits either inside or between the main galleries.- Star Room: A self-guided tour begins with a "Star Room" which represents the time between the forming of the universe and the forming of the rock record in the Black Hills.
- Custer's Black Hills Expedition of 1874: This exhibit is located between the Sioux Indian Museum Gallery and the Pioneer Gallery. Photos and artifacts from the expedition such as a gun, eating utensilsCutleryCutlery refers to any hand implement used in preparing, serving, and especially eating food in the Western world. It is more usually known as silverware or flatware in the United States, where cutlery can have the more specific meaning of knives and other cutting instruments. This is probably the...
, a stirrupStirrupA stirrup is a light frame or ring that holds the foot of a rider, attached to the saddle by a strap, often called a stirrup leather. Stirrups are usually paired and are used to aid in mounting and as a support while using a riding animal...
, a canteenCanteen (bottle)A canteen is a drinking water bottle designed to be used by hikers, campers, soldiers and workers in the field. It is usually fitted with a shoulder strap or means for fastening it to a belt, and may be covered with a cloth bag and padding to protect the bottle and insulate the contents...
and stopper, and a knife. This exhibit also features information and artifacts about the expedition's geologist, Newton WinchellNewton Horace WinchellNewton Horace Winchell was the extremely prolific Minnesota geologist responsible for the six-volume The Geology of Minnesota: Final Report of the Geological and Natural History Survey of Minnesota, which is the work of Winchell and his assistants...
, including his journal from the expedition.
- Aviary Room: The aviaryAviaryAn aviary is a large enclosure for confining birds. Unlike cages, aviaries allow birds a larger living space where they can fly; hence, aviaries are also sometimes known as flight cages...
room is located off the Hardware Store in the Pioneer gallery. It contains just over 9 dozen stuffed birds and animals from the Black Hills area. These were collected by Henry Behren from 1888 to 1911 within 25 miles (40.2 km) of Rapid City.
- Flood exhibit: The Flood Exhibit is located at the end of the Pioneer Gallery, just past the storywalls. The flood of June 9, 1972 was a key event in the history of Rapid City and the Black Hills, as it destroyed a large part of Rapid City and either killed, injured, or left homeless thousands of Rapid City residents. Created as a memorial for this event, this exhibit contains maps, pictures, survivor testimonies, news articles, and information about recovery operations for the flood on a touch screen display. It also has a short film that loops regularly that visitors can watch.
- Black Hills Forests Then and Now: This exhibit is located at the end of the Pioneer gallery, right next to the flood exhibit. This exhibit covers the changes that have happened in the forests in the Black Hills over the past 11,000 years. It also talks about how we have used it as a natural resource during the past 500 years when humans occupied the area.
Activity tables
There are regular activity tables in every gallery that children and adutls can enjoy. These have coloring pages, books, and activities relating to the gallery it is in.Grounds and gardens
The museum is surrounded by several acres of western native gardens maintained by a variety volunteer gardeners from the area. The gardens are created with the intent to feature indigenous plant life from the local Black Hills area and other plants found natively in the Western Hemisphere. The large garden area is split up into several small gardens wrapping around the museum. Various gardens contain vegetables, flowers, and trees.Events
The Journey Museum holds several regularly scheduled events. Additionally, they also have many special events that they book through the year, like a sculpting class for children or a presentation on how to make gingerbreadGingerbread
Gingerbread is a term used to describe a variety of sweet food products, which can range from a soft, moist loaf cake to something close to a ginger biscuit. What they have in common are the predominant flavors of ginger and a tendency to use honey or molasses rather than just sugar...
houses.
Family Fun Days
Every third Sunday of the month, the Education Department holds a two hour event from 2-4 pm about a particular topic for children in grades K-5 and their families. This event usually includes a movie about the topic, a presentation, and a craft. For example, in August 2008 they had the Dog Days of Summer, with a 23 minute film in the theater, a presentation with a search and rescue dog, and a craft making toilet paper roll puppies. Admission is $3 per person. Kids and their parents must each pay admission. The admission allows you to visit the main museum exhbits.Museum Theater
Throughout the year, the Journey Museum Education Department puts on several plays in the Wells Fargo Theater. These are part of the Museum Theater Productions produced by the Journey Museum. Past plays have involved topics such as the Flood of 1972 and Pioneer Women.Education
As part of the mission to further natural history, several education programs operate through the museum.Children's Library Lab
Located in the Archaeology portion of the museum, the Children's Library Lab opened on July 1, 2008. It is a center for classes and various drop-by activities throughout the week. The drop-by activities available include books, puzzles, videos, CDs, puppets, microscopes, and discovery boxes. Discovery boxes are small boxes with activities, information, and objects relating to a certain activity. These are made for certain age ranges from 3 years of age to 13 years of age. You can check these boxes out and take them with you into the rest of the museum. The Children's Library Lab also has over 200 new children's books to read.Adult classes
The Journey Museum has a few teen and adult classes that they run throughout the year, such as classes on how to use your GPS, training (for volunteers), and Lego Mindstorms NXTLego Mindstorms NXT
Lego Mindstorms NXT is a programmable robotics kit released by Lego in late July 2006.It replaced the first-generation Lego Mindstorms kit, which was called the Robotics Invention System. The base kit ships in two versions: the Retail Version and the Education Base Set . It comes with the NXT-G...
robotics
Robotics
Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, structural disposition, manufacture and application of robots...
classes and seminars.
Here is an example of the structure of one of their classes as posted on their website:
| Days | Topics |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Build Robotics, Computer Software Play, and Behaviors |
| Day 2 | Programming Basics, Zig-Zag Challenge, and Calibrating the Sensor |
| Day 3 | Going the Distance, Touch Sensor Basics, and Light Sensor Basics |
| Day 4 | Four Side Challenge, Intro to Loop, and Challenge Loop to Loop |
| Day 5 | Line Following, Challenge, and The Fork Be With You |
| Day 6 | Sound and Ultrasonic Sensors, Final Challenge, What's Up Dawg, and Graduation |
Education materials
The Journey Museum has several different types of educational materialsTeaching kit (museum)
A teaching kit is a teaching resource developed by a museum education department with the intention of creating cross-curricular learning. Such kits often include many resources, such as an educators' guide, a CD-ROM with works of art and primary sources , overhead transparencies, posters,...
available. Primarily, the museum's education
Museum education
Museum education is an important part of the role of museums.- Introduction :A museum's collection can be used to support education in a variety of ways...
department offers children's books, DVDs, "Teacher Ambassador Trunks," and "Experience Science Kits."
- Books and videos: The Journey Museum Education Department has over 200 books and dozens of movies, in both DVD and VHS format. These are available to rent for two weeks for three dollars each. The collection of books features a lot of scientific, cultural, and historical books. Many of the videos are about topics that were used for family fun days in the past.
- Teacher Ambassador trunks: The museum has a group of teachers on staff that are current teachers at a school in the Rapid City area. This group is called the Teacher Ambassadors. The teacher ambassadors have created curriculum trunks with all the materials that a teacher would need for a unit on a particular topic. The cost is usually ten dollars, and teachers rent them for 2–4 weeks, depending on the particular trunk (Some take longer to go through with a class).
- Experience Science: Experience Science is a series of elementary science modules designed to cover all of the major content areas in Life, Earth, and Physical Science. Each module includes a comprehensive teacher guide, hands-on activities, and print resources. These kits are created by Houghton Mifflin.
| Grade | Life Science | Earth Science | Physical Science |
|---|---|---|---|
| K-1 | Alive | Earth | Magnets |
| Matter and Heat | |||
| Sound | |||
| 1-2 | Organisms | Weather | Air |
| 2-3 | Life Cycles | Rocks, Soil, and Fossils | Forces, Motion, and Machines |
| 3-4 | Aquarium Habitats | Space | Light |
| Energy and Matter | |||
| 4-5 | Terrarium Habitats | Rocks, Erosion, and Weathering | Electricity |
| Magnets and Electromagnetism | |||
| 5-6 | Classification | Exploring Space | Chemistry |
| Human Body | Weather and Water |
See also
- Black Hills Institute of Geological Research, Inc.Black Hills Institute of Geological Research, Inc.The Black Hills Institute of Geological Research, Inc. is a private corporation specializing in the excavation and preparation of fossils, as well as the sale of both original fossil material and museum-quality replicas...
- List of museums in South Dakota