South Dakota Art Museum | Brookings

Set within the campus of South Dakota State University in Brookings, the South Dakota Art Museum stands as the state’s leading destination for regional art, Native American heritage, and prairie-inspired creativity. Since its founding in 1970, the museum has become both a cultural landmark and a gathering place where art, history, and landscape come together in an atmosphere of quiet reflection.

A Museum Rooted in Place

The South Dakota Art Museum was created to preserve and celebrate the artistic voices that define the Great Plains. Its collections focus on works that speak to the experience of life on the prairie-open skies, changing light, resilience, and connection to the land. The museum’s architecture mirrors this vision: clean lines, tall windows, and warm light that draws visitors naturally from one gallery to the next.

The Collections

Among the museum’s most treasured pieces are the paintings of Harvey Dunn, a South Dakota native and acclaimed illustrator whose vivid depictions of pioneer life capture both hardship and hope. His works-filled with sweeping skies, stoic figures, and rich color-are a highlight of the permanent collection. The museum also features an exceptional array of Native American art, including beadwork, textiles, pottery, and contemporary works by Lakota, Dakota, and other Plains artists. Together, they form a dialogue between past and present, tradition and innovation.

Beyond regional art, the museum houses rotating exhibitions that include American modernism, printmaking, photography, and sculpture, offering fresh perspectives throughout the year. Visitors often find themselves discovering lesser-known artists alongside established names, each piece connected in some way to the story of the northern plains.

The Visitor Experience

Inside, the museum feels serene and uncluttered, allowing each artwork to breathe. Soft lighting, open galleries, and gentle background music create a contemplative space. The museum shop offers locally made jewelry, ceramics, books, and prints, while the Education Center hosts workshops, artist talks, and community programs designed to make art accessible to everyone.

Stepping outside, the surrounding SDSU campus adds to the atmosphere-a blend of mature trees, student life, and the quiet hum of academic energy. In spring and summer, the paths are lined with flowers; in winter, the museum’s warm interior feels like a welcoming refuge.

In a Few Words

The South Dakota Art Museum is both a cultural anchor and a window into the spirit of the prairie. It’s a place where visitors can stand before a Harvey Dunn canvas, study the intricate beadwork of Lakota artists, or simply pause to appreciate how deeply art and landscape intertwine here. More than a museum, it’s a reflection of South Dakota’s creative soul-unassuming, heartfelt, and profoundly tied to its land and people.