North Dakota Heritage Center

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The North Dakota Heritage Center is located at 612 East Boulevard Avenue in Bismarck, North Dakota. The Heritage Center houses the State Archives, State Historical Research Library, State Historical Society, and the state museum (museum exhibit galleries and museum store).


The Heritage Center

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The State Archives

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The State Historical Research Library

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The State Historical Society

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The State Museum

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46°49′9″N 100°46′48″W / 46.81917°N 100.78000°W / 46.81917; -100.78000

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Explore North Dakota's Past at the North Dakota Heritage Center [Current events and exhibits schedule] [New Heritage Center brochure available] [Exhibits] [Facility rental information] [Archives and Library] [Map of capitol grounds] [Hours] [Schedule a Group Visit] [Museum Store] [RealND Virtual Tour]


Always Something New...

You'll always find something new to see at the North Dakota Heritage Center. Throughout the building special galleries showcase the diverse collections of the State Historical Society of North Dakota. Unique temporary exhibits demonstrate an infinite variety of artifacts and documents, and you'll want to return often just to keep up with these changing glimpses of an exciting past. When you do, you'll see dynamic presentations of specific themes and topics ranging from the very modern to the archaic. As you experience this constant flow of new exhibits, you'll find the familiar, too. The magnificent silver service of the U.S.S. North Dakota is an example of the rich variety to be sampled in the special galleries of the Heritage Center. The special exhibits, whether temporary or permanent, can be found throughout the building--in the Documentary Gallery near the Reading Room, the foyer of the Auditorium, the mezzanine, and the lobby--and there is always something new.

Explore North Dakota at the Heritage Center A Parade of Events...


Quality public programs occur often at the North Dakota Heritage Center...and the public is cordially invited to attend. You might watch a demonstration in the museum gallery, take in a lecture, slide show, or film in the auditorium, enjoy a concert, participate in a workshop, or sample ethnic delicacies. At the Heritage Center, public events bring the exciting history of North Dakota to life! We know you'll enjoy learning about North Dakota at the programs and events happening at the Heritage Center. Check the Programs and Exhibits Schedule for upcoming events.

Experience an Uncommon Past...



Explore North Dakota's uncommon history at the North Dakota Heritage Center. In the huge main gallery, vivid exhibits sketch the intriguing story of human life on the northern plains. From the formation of the land to the tumult of the twentieth century, elements of romance and blessings of nature highlight a history that includes the conflict between Indians and Anglo-Americans for control of a vast prairie empire; the struggles and successes of the homesteaders and pioneers; the economic "boom" of the early twentieth century and the disillusioning "bust" of the 1930s. Bright and telling graphics mingle with stark and striking photographs that let you see what life was like. Artifacts from every era provide a centerpiece, a reference that gives authenticity to your step into history. Crank a Model-T, listen to music from different eras, take a special look at North Dakota "way back when" through actual films from 1916 to 1921, or even smell a buffalo wallow reminiscent of a time when the great beasts ruled the prairies. Every exhibit is a step into history.

Study and Reflect...


Looking for information about North Dakota history? Searching for an ancestor, a birth date, or the basis of a public policy? Whether your search is casual, personal, or scholarly, you will find many resources at the North Dakota Heritage Center. The State Archives and a large collection of books, newspapers, maps, manuscripts, photographs, and more are readily available in the pleasant surroundings in the Orin G. Libby Reading Room. Especially interested in archeology, historic preservation, or artifact collections? Special collections are available in those fields, as well. Trained professional staff will guide you to the sources that can answer your question during regular business hours (M-F, 8-4:30) and inquiries are accepted by mail, telephone, or personal visit. At the North Dakota Heritage Center, the finest historical collections in North Dakota are available to you!

More Than Meets the Eye...


Service is the business of the Heritage Center. Professional staff can help answer all kinds of questions. We can explain how to preserve buildings, artifacts, and documents, and provide information about traveling exhibits, centennials, historical societies, and historic sites. We publish North Dakota History, a quarterly journal of history and culture available by subscription. Our goal is to serve North Dakota and everyone interested in our state. If you have questions about history, preservation, or archeology, ask at the North Dakota Heritage Center.

Take North Dakota History Home...


Your visit to the Heritage Center will be incomplete without a stop at the Heritage Center Museum Store which features original handcrafted items, a wide selection of books and videos about North Dakota history, and many items related to Heritage Center exhibits and programs. Whether you're browsing or seriously shopping, you'll find no better place to buy North Dakota products than the Museum Stores of the State Historical Society of North Dakota!

Be a Part of North Dakota's Heritage... You can help preserve and present North Dakota's history. Your membership in the State Historical Society of North Dakota Foundation , helps the State Historical Society to expand its collections, programs, and services. Your support makes a big difference.

Copyright ©1999-2005 State Historical Society of North Dakota. You are free to use information from these pages for any non-commercial purpose. Any use of this information should credit the State Historical Society of North Dakota. Photographs shown on the State Historical Society of North Dakota's web site are taken from the collections of the State Historical Society of North Dakota and may not be included in any publication, printed or online, without the written permission of the Society.