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FOR RELEASE: March 23, 2005
CONTACT: David Hartley, (605) 773-3458
Changing Times opening scheduled for April 7
PIERRE, SD -- After years of planning and hard work, the South Dakota State Historical Society is ready to unveil “Changing Times: South Dakota in the 20th Century.”
“Changing Times” is the final phase of permanent exhibits at the Cultural Heritage Center and joins two previously completed phases to form The South Dakota Experience, a comprehensive exhibit on the history of South Dakota.
“Changing Times” portrays the experiences South Dakotans had in the 1900s, among them the Great Depression and the arrival of electricity,” said David Hartley, Museum Director. “The exhibit not only celebrates South Dakota’s proud heritage, but also encourages visitors to think critically about the state’s past and future.”
“Changing Times” will use dioramas and period structures, including a bungalow-style house, general store and gas station, to display museum collections. Among the objects to be displayed in “Changing Times” are a Civilian Conservation Corps arm patch, a WNAX gasoline pump, Joe Foss’s World War II aviator goggles, a collection of George McGovern 1972 presidential campaign buttons, and Captain 11’s bright blue and yellow uniform.
The exhibit will open during a special private ceremony on April 7 to honor the donors who have contributed over $1.5 million to complete this exhibit and over $6 million to complete all phases of The South Dakota Experience, outreach programs for the museum, establishment of the South Dakota State Historical Society Press, and accessibility improvements at the State Archives. Over 1,500 people have contributed to this private fund-raising effort through the South Dakota Heritage Fund, the society’s nonprofit partner.
The exhibit will be open on April 8 in conjunction with the society’s annual meeting on April 8-9 in Pierre. The annual meeting will explore “South Dakota in the 20th Century,” including the influence of the wars on the South Dakota landscape, the 20th Century political scene in the state, changes in agriculture and rural life, town building and town declining, the Great Depression, American Indians in the 20th Century, and a panel discussion on what the 21st Century holds for South Dakota. For more information on the Annual Meeting call (605) 773-3458 or go to www.sdhistory.org/annmtg.
The society will host a no-admission-fee open house for the general public on Sunday, May 1, from 1 to 4:30 p.m. For more information about the Cultural Heritage Center, contact the South Dakota State Historical Society, 900 Governors Drive, Pierre, SD 57501-2217; phone (605) 773-3458 or visit www.sdhistory.org.
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