Mead Cultural Education Center

The Mead Cultural Education Center is home to the Yankton County Historical Society and Dakota Territorial Museum collection. Housed in a beautiful 1909 brick building with original marble staircase, it's a must-see destination on every trip to Yankton! Inside there are two floors of exhibits. Permanent exhibitions include Journeying Forward: Connecting Cultures, Lewis & Clark's Corps of Discovery Journey from 1803-1806; and Yankton State Hospital: Minds, Methods, and Medicine, exploring the history of the mental health campus from its start in 1879 to the modern era. The children's transportation area is fun for kids and adults of all ages to climb inside a covered wagon and more! Most visitors spend at least one hour exploring the Mead Building, as there are several temporary exhibits on display during the summer. Coming soon is Heritage Park: an outside green space with a collection of historic buildings including a train depot, school house, log cabin and more. Expected to open summer of 2023. On the 3rd floor you will find the Joseph and Sarah Wood Ward Alumni & Educational Center of Yankton College. Exhibits on the history of the college will be open Fall of 2022.