Dig into History at Dog-friendly Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village
When people picture Mitchell, South Dakota, they usually think of the World’s Only Corn Palace. But did you know that it’s also home to the only active archaeological site in the state open to the public?
Dog-friendly Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village allows you and your four-legged friend to learn about archeology and the Indigenous People of the Great Plains who lived in the area over 1,000 years ago.
It doesn’t matter if you’re interested in Native American history or just looking for another pit stop for your pup; you will definitely ‘dig’ stopping in at dog-friendly Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village. Get ready to find out what makes this ancient village a bark-tastic stop for pet owners roadtripping through South Dakota with their furry friends!
Is the Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village Dog Friendly?
Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village welcomes all leashed and well-behaved pets. They are welcome inside the museum, the excavation site, and on the surrounding trails.
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What to Expect When You Visit the Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village
The Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village is a unique educational site that is home to both a museum and an active excavation site. This is a great stop for anyone interested in Native American history or archeology, and should take about 1 hour and a half to explore.
The area is thought to have been a village that was abandoned by a group from the Initial Middle Missouri culture due to a lack of resources. Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village does a great job covering all kinds of details about tribal life in South Dakota and the process of uncovering and studying ancient artifacts.
Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village Price and Hours
It’s important to know that Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village hours vary based on the time of year you go. From May 1st to August 31st, they’re open from 9 am -6 pm Monday through Saturday and 10 am – 5 pm on Sundays. During September, they’re open Monday through Saturday from 9 am – 5 pm. And from October 1st to April 30th, they are only open Monday through Friday from 9 am – 3 pm.
Adult tickets are $10 per person, with large discounts for seniors and college students. And anyone under the age of 17 gets in for free.
Parking at the Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village
Parking is free at the Indian Village. There is a small dirt lot that’s used for both the Village and a local trail. Once you park, it’s a short walk on a dirt trail to get to the museum, whereas the trailhead starts right at the lot.
Are there Bathrooms at the Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village?
There are bathrooms in both the museum and the excavation site for visitors to use.
Where to Stay When Visiting Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village
Mitchell, South Dakota, offers plenty of major hotel chains for travelers. If you’re bringing multiple pets, consider checking Airbnb or VRBO, as most dog-friendly hotels have a two-pet limit.
Visiting Dog-Friendly Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village
Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village can be split into two main areas: the Boehnen Memorial Museum & Visitor Center and the Thomas Center Archeodome (excavation site). It shares a parking lot with the Indian Village Trailhead, which is perfect if you want to get a longer nature walk in with your pet before you get back on the road.
We took our time exploring everything both buildings had to offer, and it took us about 1 hour and 40 minutes. It could take longer if you want to try all the activities, or shorter if you skip reading all the signs.
You will have to walk a bit to get from the museum to the excavation site. This will bring you by a couple of seating areas, a sculpture, and a few areas set up for educational purposes, including a practice “dig pit”.
Boehnen Memorial Museum & Visitor Center
The Boehnen Memorial Museum is the first building you’ll enter. This is where you buy your tickets and ask any questions you may have about the Indian Village and the surrounding area.
If you love learning more about plants, make sure to read the signs throughout the garden area around the building. They have little tags that tell you what each plant is and what it was used for, which we found super interesting.
Once inside, you’ll have the option to watch a short film about the history of South Dakota tribes, which gives a nice and quick overview of what you’ll see onsite. This movie is shown in a small room on the right side of the museum. It’s also home to a few miniature historical displays of the animals, prairies, and forests in the area, as well as a couple of artifacts.
The main section of the museum is one big room full of exhibits and displays that cover the history of the native american tribes in the Midwest. You will learn about their way of life, the tools they used, their different languages, trade networks, and more based on the archaeological findings in the area.
They also have a small area off the back of this room where you can take a short walk through an area created to look like a teepee hut in the James River Basin.
Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village Gift Shop
The gift shop is located towards the back door of the museum, which leads to the excavation site. They are fully stocked with Native American artwork and artifacts like dream catchers, jewelry, and even authentic trading beads. The store also carries items like fossils, animal bones, and books.
Thomas Center Archeodome
The excavation site is located in the Thomas Center Archeodome. To get here, you’ll take another walk along a brick path that’s a bit longer than the one from the parking lot to the museum. The building is two stories, and you have the option of stairs or a ramp to move between floors.
In the center of the building is a protected dig pit. If you walk around the pit on the grated ramp, you can see signs stating what they’ve found and some artifact pieces that they’ve left in place. There are also some pictures and more information about what they have uncovered on the walls, as well as some fun facts about tribal life.
In addition to the excavation area, the main floor is home to the bathrooms as well as a large room full of signs, fossils, artifacts, and activities that go into detail about what’s been found, the excavation process, and what they’ve learned from it.
Upstairs are even more exhibits and displays about what they’ve discovered and summaries of different studies they’ve done. They also go in-depth about what they’ve discovered about a large village fire that occurred.
My two favorite things on this floor were seeing a dog travois set up (I didn’t know they had dogs carrying things back then!) and learning about a study to discover how well an ancient fishing technique would work today.
Tips for Bringing Your Dog to Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village
The Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village is a fun place to stop and let your dog out of the car for a walk full of new sights and smells. Here are some tips for bringing your pup so you both can enjoy your time here:
- Know Your Pup. Your dog should be okay around other animals and people. If they don’t, you may want to skip the inside and admire the amazing outside of the building.
- Give your dog a bathroom break before you go in. Make sure your dog goes to the bathroom first to avoid embarrassing accidents inside.
- Practice Situational Awareness. It’s important to pay attention to what’s happening around you. Be aware of the people, pets, and products around your pup so you can keep everyone safe and happy. Take special care in the gift shop– there are a lot of fun smells and things that your dog may want to grab, like fossils and animal hides.
- Stairs or Grated Ramp. You will have to choose between taking your dog up the stairs or up a grated ramp in the excavation site building to get to the second floor. Lots of pups don’t like grated floors so there is a chance you won’t be able to see some of the exhibit signs that line that path unless you are able to carry your dog up.
- Do Not Enter This Door! In the education room on the main floor of the Thomas Center Archeodome is a revolving black door in the back of the room. Do not attempt to go in with your dog. It is pitch black and super hard to make sure you both are back in the tiny area so you can move the door enough to let you out.
Nearby Attractions to Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village
For ideas of more places to visit in Mitchell, South Dakota, check out these stops:
Attractions near the Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village
Dog-Friendly Attractions near the Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village
We also have a list of things to do throughout South (and North) Dakota.
Do You “Dig” Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village?
Looking for a dog-friendly stop with Native American history, an active dig site, artifacts, and bones? If you are driving through the Midwest, you should really ‘chew’ on the idea of stopping in at the Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village. Take this unique chance to travel back in time with your pup while learning about the archeological process and the ancient people of the Great Plains. Get ready to buckle up and channel your inner “paw-chaeologist” and find out just how much you and your canine companion will dig this stop.
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ooo so much fun and this is the closest destination ive seen you post about so far! i love the joint activity!
The entire state is worth a doggy visit!
If I lived in the States we would be off on so many dog friendly adventures. Who knows…maybe one day!
Fingers crossed!
You found another dog-friendly spot in SD. Sounds like everyone enjoyed the visit to Mitchell. Super guide to the area. I’m sure my Henry would love it. I’m sharing with my pet parents.
This last trip WITH our dogs was so different than going without them and just as fun! We saw so many different places that I wouldn’t have gone to except that they were dog friendly lol.
WOOF this looks like so much fun and I love learning about different cultures so would really love to visit this place with Nili. Thank you so much for all the information to make life easier.
Of course! I hope it helps get more pets out of the house 🙂
After your posts, I’m ready to pack my bags and head to South Dakota! Always wanted to visit, but this is such a cool, historical place I had not known about. And dog-friendly! Your pups look so interested in the artifacts. I’d love to see the dog travois set-up, too! I so enjoy museums and history. I had been to a Native American village decades ago on my honeymoon (not in the Dakotas), and it was so cool to step back in time. But this museum and site looks wonderful. Thank you for sharing your travels with us!
It would be worth the drive 🙂 All the different smells (especially the fossils and animal hides) were fascinating to them. And just as important- it tired them out on the long days of driving!
I can’t believe there’s an active archeological site that allows dogs, that’s so great. The Dog Travois is super cool – I’d love to see that! Dogs have been helping us humans for thousands of years, haven’t they!
They really have 🙂
Wow! What a cool location! I’ll have to look around my own area for dog friendly locations to visit.