Take a look at how the Journey Museum became what it is today

The Journey Museum officially opened May 18, 1997, but the museum itself was part of a Cultural Steering Committee a few years before around 1993.

However, the Journey Museum was originally going to be called The Spirit of the Black Hills Museum based on what the Cultural Steering Committee had recommended.

“But before that ever occurred, it became The Journey. And so when it opened in 1997, then we added museum a few years later to all of that. So it went from The Spirit of the Black Hills, to The Journey, to the Journey Museum, to the Journey Museum and Learning Center,” said Troy Kilpatrick, Journey Museum Executive Director.

Over the past two years, the Sioux Indian Museum has received an original mural painted by Evans Flammond Sr. in the center of the floor called “Unity,” held a tipi rising event with Martin Red Bear creating original art on the tipi and placing new additions to the museum.

The Journey Museum was one of the first projects built through Vision funding.

“We owe a lot to the fact that we have a museum this great in our community, to the fact that the City of Rapid City helped make it all happen. And they’re a significant sponsor,” Kilpatrick said.

Other partners within the museum include:

• Department of Interior
• The Indian Arts and Crafts Board for the Sioux Indian Museum Collection
• The Medical Historical Association for our Pioneer and Rapid City History
• The South Dakota Archeological Research Center
• The South Dakota School of Mines Museum of Geology

Kilpatrick says hundreds of volunteers have contributed to the museum over the years as well.

“And so I hope I just have said thank you to enough people and enough organizations out there that we have a lot of people to thank. And we look forward to serving our community into the future, as I always say. Somehow, someway, the Journey continues.”