10th Anniversary Celebration

Join us for a day of activities celebrating the 10th anniversary of the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum expansion! The event features a schedule full of family-friendly activities and presentations. This day also marks the 135th anniversary of North Dakota’s statehood.

The 2014 expansion nearly doubled the size of the facility designed to help preserve and share the state’s history. Explore the interactive exhibits showcasing 600 million years of history across North Dakota.

Throughout the day, view the new “Our Heritage” video series, highlighting key moments in North Dakota history. Use a compass and follow directions to navigate history in the State Museum. Take selfies with a life-sized bison or Lawrence Welk cutout, and try your hand at playing an accordion. Challenge yourself with a dinosaur puzzle. Participate in a mini archaeological dig. Recreate Nancy Hendrickson’s animal photography style. Try pottery making with provided supplies. Have your face painted and select a North Dakota history-themed temporary tattoo. Stop by the State Archives to view select original plates from wet plate photographer Shane Balkowitsch’s latest book.

𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀

𝟭𝟬 𝗮.𝗺. - 𝗟𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗞𝗶𝗱𝘀, 𝗕𝗶𝗴 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱: 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗮𝗸𝗼𝘁𝗮’𝘀 𝗕𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗱𝗮𝘆
30-minute program for toddlers and preschoolers

𝟭𝟭 𝗮.𝗺. - 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀: 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗮𝗸𝗼𝘁𝗮 𝗧𝗼𝗽𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝘆
30-minute program for school age children in kindergarten through fifth grade

𝗡𝗼𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝟯 𝗽.𝗺. - 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗼𝘄𝗶𝘁𝘀𝗰𝗵 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴
Celebrated photographer Shane Balkowitsch will sign copies of his new book, Northern Plains Native Americans: A Modern Wet Plate Perspective, Volume 3, in the Missouri River Event Center. Books are available for purchase in the Museum Store.

𝟭𝟮:𝟯𝟬 𝗽.𝗺. - 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Enjoy a short program featuring Mandan-Hidatsa flute maker and musician Keith Bear, singing by Hunts Along with Jason Morsette, and Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation dancers in the Missouri River Event Center. Shane Balkowitsch will introduce his book. Regalia welcome.

𝟭 𝘁𝗼 𝟯 𝗽.𝗺. - 𝗗𝗮𝗸𝗼𝘁𝗮 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀
Stop by the Russell Reid Auditorium to learn how State Historical Society collections and technologies have evolved over the last 10 years.

  • 𝟭 𝗽.𝗺. - 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀
    Lindsay Meidinger, deputy state archivist, will reflect on significant advancements in accessibility and preservation, as well as showcase a few notable collections.
  • 𝟭:𝟯𝟬 𝗽.𝗺. - 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘂𝗺 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
    Melissa Thompson, head of curatorial services, and Jenny Yearous, curator of collections management, will present some of their favorite objects.
  • 𝟮 𝗽.𝗺. - 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆
    Timothy Reed, research archaeologist, will discuss the use of drone technology as an eye in the sky for preservation.
  • 𝟮:𝟯𝟬 𝗽.𝗺. - 𝗣𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆
    Becky Barnes, North Dakota Geological Survey paleontologist, will talk about new exhibits, discoveries, and collections added over the last decade.

𝟯 𝘁𝗼 𝟰 𝗽.𝗺. - 𝗖𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Join us for cake to commemorate this special occasion.

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