The North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum in Bismarck offers engaging experiences for students and teachers. Our programs and museum experiences are designed to help you meet North Dakota State Content Standards and also help bring to life artifacts, documents, and events found in the Grade 4 and Grade 8 history curriculums.
To help prepare, check out ndstudies.gov and view a host of resources for grades 4, 8, and high school. Our State Museum website will also help you learn about the museum galleries and other spaces of interest in the ND Heritage Center.
Learning Labs in the Adaptation Gallery: Geologic Time, the Innovation Gallery: Early Peoples, and the Inspiration Gallery: Yesterday and Today enhance your museum experience.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is there an admission fee?
No. The ND Heritage Center & State Museum is open seven days a week and always has free admission
During weekdays, the State Museum is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
On Saturdays and Sundays, the State Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The facility is closed on state holidays.Where should buses and cars park?
Bus drivers and chaperones can pull up to the east entrance loop to drop off visitors, then park in the parking lot next to the glass atrium. Buses may also use the parking lot located on the north side of the building close to the Capitol building, and visitors may enter through the north doors.
What will happen when we arrive?
A staff member will greet groups near the east entrance information desk (by the large glass atrium) and provide an overview of our four museum galleries and additional exhibits.
Find brief descriptions of our museum spaces on our exhibits page.
Please view the Facility Map for an overview of the layout of the galleries.
Our staff will show you where coats and other supplies can be placed during your visit, where restrooms are located (our most frequently asked question!), and let you know about any new exhibits. Please keep your important belongings with you at all times. We want your students to enjoy a positive experience, so ask our staff any questions during your orientation and throughout your visit.
Will our visit be a guided tour?
A tour guide is not necessary, but you may request a general tour when you schedule your trip. The best time to plan a guided visit is during the winter months (January and February). Because the spring months (April through June) are busier and staffing is limited, programming such as tours are not guaranteed. View our current tours.
Three museum galleries are laid out in chronological order, covering events from 600 million years ago to what is happening today in North Dakota.
Whenever possible, a gallery guide will be available in each gallery to answer your questions.
To get the best overview of all four galleries, we suggest that you move chronologically from the state’s oldest history to contemporary times.You might wish to follow this order:
Adaptation Gallery: Geologic Time
Innovation Gallery: Early Peoples
Inspiration Gallery: Yesterday and TodayThe fourth gallery is the Governors Gallery, which showcases temporary and traveling exhibits.
There are plenty of cool objects and interactive technologies available in each gallery to spark an interest in visitors of any age. From the life-sized T. rex skeleton cast to a Mars experimental spacesuit to “driving” a tractor, we hope to connect with everyone.
The State Museum hallways are also chock-full of interesting history, including Dakota—a rare dinosaur skeleton with fossilized skin, one of North Dakota’s earliest homemade cars, recent acquisitions, a mastodon skeleton, and other interesting exhibits.
How much time should we allow for our visit?
Whether you have 30 minutes or an entire day to spend at the State Museum, you will find areas of interest for all ages. If you only have a short time available, our staff will help you make the most of your time by pointing out certain highlights. If you plan a day-long trip, you can leave with a more in-depth understanding of North Dakota history.
The ND Heritage Center is also home to the State Archives and the North Dakota Geologic Survey, which also provide tours on occasion with pre-arranged visits.
Since we are located on the Capitol grounds, you can also plan to visit the state Capitol, walk the Arboretum Trail, or release some energy on the expansive lawn.
How can I best prepare my students for their museum visit?
We suggest that you look at our website, ndstudies.gov, as a general class resource. North Dakota Studies promotes teaching and learning about the state's geography, history, and civics.
What kind of educational programs do you offer for groups, and how do I book them?
We offer an array of educational programs at the ND Heritage Center & State Museum for every age level. Learn more about each of our educational programs. Programs currently offered are available for selection in the “Personalize your visit” section of the group visit form.
Can we eat lunch in the building or purchase meals or snacks?
El Coqui in the James River Café offers coffee, sandwiches, cookies, salads, hot meals, and pizzas, plus freshly baked breads and pastries and is open Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., and Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Groups may also bring lunches to eat outdoors. In the case of inclement weather, an indoor picnic location will be arranged. Please make the visitor services coordinator aware if you are bringing lunches. Please note, we do not provide refrigeration or storage for lunches.
Can we purchase souvenirs?
The Museum Store presents an extraordinary collection of items and is open daily. From educational toys to home décor, Pride of Dakota products, posters, souvenirs and more, visitors and groups of any age will find something they will love to bring home. If you are a visiting school group, up to 25 students at a time are allowed in the store. Teachers and/or chaperones are expected to supervise students in the store at all times. Please indicate whether your group will be shopping in the Museum Store when booking your visit.
An alternative choice to time in the Museum Store is to purchase History-To-Go Bags for each person. History-To-Go Bags contain items that encourage an ongoing connection to the people, landscape, and current and future developments featured in the State Museum. These must be pre-ordered when booking your visit.
What additional state historic sites can we visit in the area?
The State Historical Society of North Dakota manages the State Museum, as well as 58 state historic sites and the Pembina State Museum. Visitors can enjoy our sites in the Bismarck-Mandan area:
Former Governors’ Mansion
Camp Hancock
Double Ditch Indian VillageTo book a group visit to these sites, please visit ndstudies.gov/field-trips. For a list of all of our state historic sites, visit history.nd.gov.
TOUR ETIQUETTE EXPECTATIONS
Teachers, please share these guidelines with your students and chaperones before visiting. For the best visitor experience, we recommend at least one chaperone for every 10 students.
- Stay with your group at all times.
- Be courteous and respectful of others who are visiting. Walk through the museum instead of running. Use inside voices and listen to museum staff as they help teach you about the museum.
- No food, drinks, and gum are allowed in the museum galleries.
- Be respectful of the exhibits. We want you to touch some things, but please only touch when you are permitted to do so. Do not climb or sit on exhibits or touch the paintings on walls.
- Take photographs! Suggestion: Snap a selfie with our sloth skeleton!
Only pencils are allowed in the museum. Bring clipboards, and do not write on walls, windows, paintings, or exhibits. We want to preserve these for many years to come.
YOUR HELP IS CRITICAL
We are interested in surveying teachers at the close of each visit whenever possible. It’s a quick and easy 10-question survey by a staff member. Please help us better plan for great student/teacher experiences, if asked to participate.
Teachers are our best partners in enhancing student experiences at the museum!
For questions about booking your field trip or group visit, contact our visitor services coordinator or call 701.328.2674.