Culture
What museums and galleries can I enjoy?
If some afternoon hours whiled away in a museum or gallery strikes you as a perfect occasion, you may want to check out the following:
- The Journey Museum, 222 New York St., Rapid City, phone: 394-6923. Summer hours: Memorial Day to Labor Day 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Winter hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. The Journey Museum takes you on a trek through time, from the violent upheaval that formed the Black Hills more than 2.5 billion years ago to the continuing saga of the western frontier. The Journey brings together four major prehistoric and historic collections to tell the complete story of the western Great Plains — from the perspective of the Lakota people and the pioneers who shaped its past, to the scientists who now study it. Web site: www.journeymuseum.org.
- South Dakota Air and Space Museum, Interstate 90, Exit 67, is outside the main gate to Ellsworth AFB. The museum is open daily year-round — summer hours are 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; winter hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free.
The museum preserves South Dakota and Ellsworth AFB aviation history with more than 20 aircraft and missile displays as well as numerous indoor exhibits. Mid-May to mid-September, base bus tours are available that include a stop at the Minuteman II silo. The bus tour costs $6 for adults and $3 for children 12 and younger. For more information, call 385-5188 or 385-5189, e-mail sdasm@wildblue.net or go to www.blackhillsbadlands.com.
- South Dakota School of Mines & Technology Museum of Geology, 501 E. St. Joseph St., in the O’Harra Building on the Tech campus. Memorial Day through Labor Day: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Labor Day through Memorial Day: 9 a.m. to
4 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, closed Sundays and holidays. Admission is free. The museum displays a wide variety of minerals, rocks and fossils from South Dakota and the northern Great Plains. Special collections feature meteorites, Black Hills and South Dakota minerals, swimming marine reptiles from the Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway, dinosaurs of South Dakota and fossils from the world-famous White River Badlands. Summer expeditions in geology and paleontology provide opportunity for field involvement. Contact: 394-2467. Web site: http://museum.sdsmt.edu.
- Galleries:
- Apex Gallery, 501 E. St. Joseph St., in the Classroom Building on the Tech campus offers exhibits year-round.
- Stan Adelstein Gallery at The Journey Museum, 222 New York St., offers art exhibits year-round.
- Dahl Arts Center, 713 Seventh St., offers exhibits in its Ruth Brennan and Central galleries.
Where can I go to attend a theater performance?
- Black Hills Community Theatre 2007-08 season includes “Into The Woods,” Sept. 21-Oct. 7; “Luau for King Lear,” Nov. 2-18; “Coyote On A Fence,” Feb. 8-24, 2008; “Amadeus,” March 28-April 13, 2008; “The Bible: The Complete Word of God (Abridged),” May 2-18, 2008. Performances are at Dahl Arts Center, 713 Seventh St. For information, call 394-1787; box office, 394-1786.
- Black Hill Playhouse in Custer State Park presents at least five plays or musicals during its summer season. This is professional theatre in classic summer stock tradition, with cast and crew in residence. The setting in the park is a beautiful fringe benefit. Plays in the 2007 season are “Luv,” June 7-10, 12-16; “The Mousetrap,” June 21-23, June 26-30, July 3-7; “My Way — A musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra,” July 12-14, 17-21; “A Year with Frog and Toad,” July 26-28, July 31-Aug. 4, Aug. 7-11; and “Moon Over Buffalo,” Aug. 16-18, 21-25. Information and tickets: 1-888-636-0626 or e-mail BHPHQ@aol.com. Web site: www. blackhillsplayhouse.com.
- Matthews Opera House, a restored vintage theater in Spearfish, produces summer shows, a spring and fall production and at least one children’s production each year. For information on exact dates and times and for tickets, call 642-7973. Web site: www.moh-scah.com.
- The Five-Star Rapid City Journal Broadway Play Series will present five touring Broadway productions this year. Information and tickets: 394-4111 or 1-800-GOT-MINE.
Where can I enjoy nationally known entertainers?
Nationally known artists, speakers, dance troupes and theatrical groups frequently appear at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.
The civic center, located in downtown Rapid City, is a complete convention complex that includes an 11,000-seat arena, 150,000 square feet of exhibit space, a 1,799-seat theater, food court, meeting rooms and catering facilities. For information, call 394-4115. Ticket information: 1-800-468-6463. Web site: www.gotmine.com.