Mission Statement
To inspire a passion for the diverse history, culture, and science of agriculture in South 啵啵直播秀.
Vision Statement
We are a leader in the preservation of South 啵啵直播秀 agricultural history and in connecting multi-generational audiences to the importance of agriculture in their daily lives.
Core Values:
Integrity
We are the stewards of South 啵啵直播秀鈥檚 agricultural history. The community turns to us to preserve their historic treasures and to tell the stories of bygone eras with accuracy and honesty.
Service
We exist for the public. We serve our patrons through preservation of historic artifacts, educational outreach, and by supporting the community in endeavors that enrich our society. We depend upon the support of the people to succeed and we honor that by serving our patrons to the best of our abilities.
Approachability
We are open to all. We believe that museums are unique places where people can share existing ideas while learning about new ones. We take a grassroots approach in developing educational platforms and in interpreting history and culture.
Innovation
We explore and create. We look for new and innovative ways to create meaningful connections with the community.
What is the State Agricultural Heritage Museum?
The South 啵啵直播秀 Agricultural Heritage Museum is the official state museum that collects, preserves and interprets the history of agriculture and rural life in South 啵啵直播秀. The museum collection contains the following items: approximately 3,500 agricultural and mechanical tools and equipment; 1,500 items classified as building furnishings, personal and recreational items; 8,300 communications and documentary items, such as maps, prints and agricultural business advertising; over 100,000 photographs of farms, ranches, small towns, 4-H and Cooperative Extension Services; and approximately 72 cubic feet of machinery operator鈥檚 manuals, parts, lists and sales literature.
The museum offers a variety of educational programming and tours. Group tours are available - reservations are required. The Museum Store specializes in regionally made products that capture the spirit of South 啵啵直播秀 in every gift.
History of the Museum
The extensive holdings began as a zoological collection in 1884 and evolved to have a heavy concentration of farming equipment, mainly from the eastern region of the state, and mostly from 1880-1950. To better reflect a complete representation of agriculture in South 啵啵直播秀, the collection鈥檚 scope was expanded in 2014 to span from the time when humans first domesticated plants and 啵啵直播秀s in South 啵啵直播秀 to the present. The staff also diversified its exhibits, gathering history and artifacts both from the western part of the state and from various ethnic groups.
In 1976, the museum staff secured the Stock Judging Pavilion as its new location on the South 啵啵直播秀 State University campus. Built in 1918 and expanded in 1925, the Stock Judging Pavilion was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The pavilion was repaired, restored and renovated as a museum open to the public in 1981. During this time the museum became the official State Agricultural Heritage Museum under the Department of Cultural Affairs. The main level of the museum contains approximately 9,000 sq. ft. of exhibits and 500 sq. ft. of office space and gift shop, while the 4,875 sq. ft. lower level of the museum contains small artifact storage and office work space. An 11,000 sq. ft. pole barn completed in July 2005 to house the machinery and large artifact collections pieces sit north of the museum, and also contains a small workshop. Finally, the museum maintains a rammed earth building, which is located north of the Pavilion and is also on the National Register for Historic Places. Rammed earth construction was an experimental construction technique being investigated by the Cooperative Extension Service in the 1920 and 1930s. This 1,872 sq. ft. building houses yet another small workshop area.
1884: Professor W.H. Orcutt appointed chairman of the museum at South 啵啵直播秀 Agricultural College and Mechanical Arts. It started as a zoological collection and grew to encompass the college history.
1958: Victor M. Dalthorp bequests South 啵啵直播秀 State College his collection of 2,000 pioneer, war and agricultural items.
1967: SDSU President Hilton Briggs asks Ralph E. Johnston to gather the collections of 鈥渕useum related items鈥 for a museum to be known as the 鈥淢useum and Heritages Center鈥.
1968: The museum opens in the lower level of Wenona Hall. Prior to 1968 the museum was in several different locations including the Botany building and old South (Extension).
1972: Henry DeLong was asked to replace Ralph Johnston as curator of the museum. Henry was the former Chairman of the Agricultural Engineering Department and brought a strong agricultural history interest to the museum.
1973: Governor Kneip reorganizes state government and creates the Office of Cultural Preservation. Part of the office鈥檚 duties is to manage university museums across the state. The Robinson Museum (Pierre), the W.H. Over Museum (Vermillion) and the Smith Zimmerman Museum (Madison) are transferred to the new office. The School of Mines Museum and the South 啵啵直播秀 Memorial Art Center declined association with the new office. The Museum and Heritages Center was totally missed in this initial reorganization.
1975: Transferred from Administration of South 啵啵直播秀 State University to administration of South 啵啵直播秀 Office of Cultural Preservation.
1975: Members of the Museum and Heritages Center Advisory Committee meet to request funding from the Office of Cultural Preservation. They refined the mission of the museum to become the 鈥淢useum of Agriculture鈥.
1976: The museum budget grew from $1000 from SDSU to $10,000 provided by the Office of Cultural Preservation (appropriation from the State Legislature for this museum). John Schmalenberger was hired as the first museum director.
1976: The advisory committee recommended a name change for the Museum of Agriculture to the Agricultural Heritage Museum. Their concept for the museum was that it would be more than a museum of bigger and better technology, it was to represent agriculture as a science and a humanity.
1976: Ralph Johnston secures the old Stock Judging Pavilion from President Briggs for the development of the Agricultural Heritage Museum. The pavilion would be leased by the Office of Cultural Preservation from SDSU. It was agreed that the museum would bring the pavilion up to standards and that the university would then maintain those standards. The security system has been the only exception to this agreement.
1976: Koch Hazard Associates of Sioux Falls was selected to conduct a feasibility study for the use of the old Stock Judging Pavilion as the new Agricultural Heritage Museum. Use of the pavilion would include restoring the outside of the building to its 1925 appearance. The pavilion was built in 1918 with the West wing being added in 1925.
1977: John Awald was hired to replace John Schmalenberger as director of the museum.
1977: The advisory committee requested that the State Legislature appropriate $130,000 for Phase I of the renovation of the pavilion. Senate Bill 71 was tabled in committee and no further action was made.
1978: Richard Teubert was hired as the museum鈥檚 first curator of exhibits.
1978: The old Stock Judging Pavilion was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
1979: The advisory committee requested $375,000 from the State Legislature. They appropriated $100,000 in Senate Bill 172. The Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service of the National Park Service granted marching funds totaling $76,592 to assist with those parts of the renovation considered to be restoring the pavilion鈥檚 historic appearance. Phase II restored the clay tile roof with insulation and replaced the electrical service throughout the building. The advisory committee provided $6,250 in other funds to complete the project.
1995: State Agricultural Heritage Museum was transferred from the Department of Education and Cultural Affairs to the Board of Regents.
2005: John Awald retired after 28 years as director.
2006: Mac Harris was hired as a new director.
2011: Mac Harris retired.
2014: Gwen McCausland hired as new director.