Programs and Activities

Below is a description of the different programs offered at the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum. Included are approximate lengths, appropriate ages of the audience, and a description of the experience and learning.

 

Guided Tours and Talks: Learn from an expert. Programs in this section will be led by a gallery guide and provide additional information about galleries or themes beyond what is written in exhibit text.

Hands-on Activity: Bring history out from behind a museum case. Programs in this section will include using objects or artifacts to learn about a particular theme or historical event. These programs vary with group size and content and may take place in either a gallery or classroom setting.

Self-Guided Worksheet: Pace yourself and place yourself at the center of learning. Programs in this section are intended to be used by individuals or small groups to allow for more introspection and connection with the gallery.

Games and Play: Both children and adults alike enjoy playing. Programs in this section will include a brief history of the game’s relevance to North Dakota and the instructions on how to play. The rest of the time will be spent playing with the toy/game.

100 Years of Family Life

This program takes place in the Inspiration Gallery: Yesterday and Today. Handle artifacts that showcase what life has looked like through a 100-year time frame in North Dakota. Learn about common objects from daily life, including a shaving set, teacups, and aprons.

Length: 30 minutesAge: 4 and upCategory: Hands-on ActivityTheme: Multiple Galleries (Covers Many Times and/or Events)
Archaeology Sorting Activity

This program takes place in the Innovation Gallery: Early Peoples. Sort objects, such as bones, shells, modified objects, etc., into categories. Discuss what the different objects are and how they were used. Understand their relevance to archaeologists.

Length: 30 minutesAge: 4 and upCategory: Hands-on ActivityTheme: Early Peoples
Behind-the-Scenes Archives Tour

Take a behind-the-scenes tour of the State Archives and view a selection of our collections and storage spaces. See our 2D documents pertaining to North Dakota, including family and personal papers, photos, and newspapers. Learn what an archives is, what we collect, and how our items can be accessed and used. Walk around with staff members in our collections spaces and view some of the treasures housed in the stacks.

Tours longer than 30 minutes area available by request.

Length: 30 minutesAge: 10 and upCategory: Guided Tours and TalksTheme: Historical Research, Preservation
Bows, Arrows, and Atlatls

This program takes place in the Innovation Gallery: Early Peoples. Hunting was an essential part of life. Learn about the tools for hunting, including when these were invented and how these were made and used.

Length: 15 minutesAge: 10 and upCategory: Guided Tours and TalksTheme: Early Peoples
Conducting Oral Histories

Listening to other people’s stories about their lives, events they’ve experienced, and feelings they have had can help us better understand the past and preserve the present for the future. Learn some tips and tricks to do your own interviews with family and friends as well as why preserving this history is important. Try formulating an oral history plan, writing good questions, and interviewing each other. This can be used to kick-start a planned oral history as part of a curriculum activity!

The length of time can be extended by request.

Length: 30 minutesAge: 8 and upCategory: Guided Tours and Talks, Hands-on ActivityTheme: Oral Histories
Dakota the Dinomummy

The program takes place in the Corridor of History next to Dakota the Dinomummy. See one of the rarest finds in the world, a dinosaur with skin. Learn about how paleontologists conduct a dig and the history of Dakota.

Length: 30 minutesAge: 4 and upCategory: Guided Tours and TalksTheme: Dinosaurs (Paleontology)
Earth’s Age

This program takes place in the Adaptation Gallery: Geologic Time and the Corridor of History. Make predictions about when events happened on Earth, such as the first signs of plant life or when the dinosaurs appeared. See on a large-scale timeline when these events happened. Handle artifacts from significant events in the state’s geologic record.

Length: 15 minutesAge: 8 and upCategory: Hands-on ActivityTheme: Fossils/Geology
Entertainment Technology Through Time

This program takes place in the Inspiration Gallery: Yesterday and Today. Play with technology from two different time periods. Learn how magic lanterns and stereoscopes work. Compare them to an Atari and NES. Handle these historical technologies and enjoy a short game on an Atari/NES.

Length: 1 hourAge: 8 and upCategory: Hands-on ActivityTheme: Entertainment
Full Guided Tour

This program takes place in three State Museum galleries. Enjoy highlights with a tour guide in the Adaptation, Inspiration, and Innovation galleries. Learn in-depth about the progression of North Dakota through time from its prehistoric record to today. Ask the guide questions and satisfy your curiosity.

Length: 2 hoursAge: 4 and upCategory: Guided Tours and TalksTheme: Multiple Galleries (Covers Many Times and/or Events)
Genealogy Starts With Me!

In this introduction to genealogy, learn about available sources in the State Archives and research your own genealogy. Using these sources, explore your family history and begin to create a timeline—beginning by looking up your own birthdate in local newspapers.

Length: 30 minutesAge: 8 and upCategory: Hands-on ActivityTheme: Genealogy
Highlights of History

This program takes place in three State Museum galleries. Enjoy highlights with a tour guide the Adaptation, Innovation, and Inspiration galleries. Learn a brief overview of the progression of North Dakota through time from its prehistoric record to today. Ask the guide questions and satisfy your curiosity.

Length: 1 hourAge: 4 and upCategory: Guided Tours and TalksTheme: Multiple Galleries (Covers Many Times and/or Events)
Native American Games

This program takes place outdoors or in a large open space. Enjoy playing classic games of different Native American cultures. Learn the rules of hoop and stick, hand games, and ice gliders. Take a turn at playing each.

Length: 1 hourAge: 8 and upCategory: Games and PlayTheme: Early Peoples
Pioneer Schooling

This program takes place in the Inspiration Gallery: Yesterday and Today. Experience what school was like for the average student during the early 1900s and handle artifacts from the time.

Length: 30 minutesAge: 8 and upCategory: Hands-on ActivityTheme: Turn of the Century (1900s)