My husband and I had passed by the Old Courthouse Museum many times since moving to Sioux Falls,…read morebut for Mother's Day we decided to do something a little different and finally stop in for a visit. We both love old historical museums, and this turned out to be one of the nicest surprises we've had since making South Dakota our home. The courthouse itself is beautifully restored. The architecture alone is worth the visit. Walking through the building really gives you an appreciation for the craftsmanship of another era. One thing that especially fascinated me were the old architectural drawings on display. It honestly amazed me to think that all of those detailed designs were created entirely by hand without computers or modern drafting programs. The amount of patience and talent required must have been incredible. The museum gives a wonderful glimpse into the early history of Sioux Falls and how different life once was here. Looking through the exhibits, furnishings, photographs, and displays made me reflect on how much simpler life must have seemed back then, even though I know it certainly had its own hardships. As newer residents of Sioux Falls, it also helped us feel more connected to the city we now call home. Sometimes when you move somewhere new, you know the streets and stores first, but not the story underneath them. This museum helped fill in some of those gaps for us. We also wound up spending far too much time in the gift shop and left with quite a few souvenirs. Mostly though, I just enjoyed spending the afternoon strolling through the museum with my honey, learning a little more about the history of the community we've become a part of. It made for a very peaceful and memorable Mother's Day.

This museum is really cool and interesting with lots of information about the building and the…read moretown, as well as lots other items from history.

One of those "what is that?" place you should stop by if you have time. Built by local residents to…read morehonor the memory and burial location of a member of the Lewis and Clark expedition, it's also the first National Park Historical Landmark. The views are terrific. Expect to take at least 15 minutes here - longer of the weather is favorable and you want to savor the river views from bluff top.

It's tucked away behind the visitors observatory tower of the falls. It was really nice to read…read moreabout the social scene and culture back in the day that farmer created around the table! My favorite part was seeing the old menu and the prices on the menu for food and they have done researched and shows what the prices would be today if the menu was created!

Neligh Mill is the last fully equipped surviving flour mill in Nebraska. A display of flour sacks…read morecan attest to the large number of flour mills the state once housed and I was surprised that I have visited a number of the communities and never seen any of the remnants of a flour mill. Three different types of tours are available: a guided tour, a partially guided tour or a self guided tour. We opted for the self guided (it was free) and went at our own pace when touring the mill. The mill would be a difficult tour for anyone with mobility issues. The steps are very steep and would be a challenge for many. The lower level served as an educational center with photos, historical information and artifacts. The flour sack display is located in this area also. We found the mill to be an interesting and significantly historic stop on the Nebraska Passport program.

This is the Sioux County Freedom Rock. Completing the Freedom Rock tour of all 99 Iowa counties is…read moresomething my girlfriend and I have been working on for the past few years. We are four rocks away from the end of our journey at this time. Not only do we learn about the military involvement and the contributions of veterans in each county... A lot of times we stumble on other hidden gems, that we had no idea even existed, as we venture further into our own backyard. As happy as I am going to be when hit 99 and finish our Freedom Rock Tour...a little part of me is going to really miss these trips. We'll just have to find another "tour" to pick up! When you are checking out each Freedom Rock make sure you explore the surrounding area for other points of interest. And please remember to support local businesses...! Visit https://www.thefreedomrock.com/ for more information on Iowa's Freedom Rocks and the tour!

Great venue....saw Herb Alpert earlier this month, while visiting old friends…read more Acoustics....Excellent!!

The Nutcracker ballet was fantastic!! Venue decorated beautifully for Christmas. The performance…read morewas amazing. There is not a bad seat & parking is close. Highly recommend!!

Enjoyed my stop at the National Music Museum, prompted on a bitter-cold December day as a result of…read moresome terrific & frequent advertising along my drive on the 29. This site is more about the instruments than the music or the artists, however. Located on the campus of the University of South Dakota, the museum has a lot of exhibits and rooms full of historic instruments such as organs, pianos, guitars, drums, and horns. Liked learning about Johnny Cash, many other items. Enjoyed their interactive videos and music within the exhibits. Lots of parking.

Although a pretty college town, Vermillion is not as colorful as its name. You won't see the…read morescarlet red of cinnabar, but you can see an outstanding museum filled with a wide collection of musical instruments. The guitar collection seemed to attract the most gawking among the visitors, but my favorite gallery held varied configurations of wind instruments that eventually evolved into their current form. Of course, the Italian stringed instruments created in Cremona by Andrea Amati in the mid-1500s and later perfected by Antonio Stradivari were highlights. Wear a jacket and forget the sunglasses. The galleries are cold and dimly light. Our visit took an hour. The parking lot has spaces that are clearly marked for students, metered spaces with no listed hours of operation, and unmarked spaces. According to the person working at the museum, the metered spaces operate on weekends and the unmarked spaces require a parking pass - even when school is not in session. He provided us with a visitor parking pass.