In 1947, the South Dakota General Federation of Women's Clubs voted to raise the money for an art center so the people of South Dakota would have a place to view works of art. In 1950, the Women's Clubs voted to locate the art center on the South Dakota State College campus in Brookings. Construction began on the facility in 1969 with dedication of the Memorial Art Center occurring in 1970. By 1976, the Art Center became the first museum in South Dakota to be accredited by the American Association of Museums. In 1987, in recognition of its expanded programming and role, the Board of Regents renamed the museum the South Dakota Art Museum.
It is the mission of the South Dakota Art Museum to acquire and care for works of art, which preserve the rich and varied artistic legacy of South Dakota. The tradition of giving works of art to the museum began when the Women's Club gave its collection as the new building was completed. Significant purchases of art for the museum by the university Alumni Association and the South Dakota Arts Council soon followed. Through both purchases and generous gifts, the museum has amassed a worthy permanent collection used extensively for exhibition, educational outreach and scholarly research.
The South Dakota Art Museum has galleries with works on display from the Harvey Dunn, Oscar Howe, Native American Tribal Art and Marghab Linen Collections. Other galleries feature temporary exhibitions representing a broad spectrum of themes, styles and media. Lectures, exhibition briefings, reception, children's programs, films and other public events round out the museum's offerings.
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1969-1972, 1986
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1972
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1976
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1976, 1978
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1977
1977, 1984
1977-1978
1977
1976-1977
1977
1977, 1979
1975, 1977, 1980
1977
1977-1978
1977
1977
1977-1978
1976-1979
1978
1977-1978
1978
1976-1979
1978
1978
1976, 1978-1979
1977-1978
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1978
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1982
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1981-1983, 1986
1981-1984, 1989
1982
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1982, 1984-1985
1983-1984
1982-1983
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1981-1983
1983
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1983
1983
1977, 1981-1984
1983
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1984
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1982, 1984
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1984
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1982, 1986-1987
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1984, 1987
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1987
1981, 1986-1988
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1978, 1980-1988
1987
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1988
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1987-1988
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1987-1988
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1992
1972-1988
1977, 1983
1986-1992, undated
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1982-1984
1984-1985
1987-1988
1987-1988
1988-1989
1990
1991
1990-1991
1990-1991
1990
1990
1991-1992
1992-1993
1992-1993
1992-1993
1992-1993
1992-1993
1985-1986
1986-1987
1975-1984
1991-1992
1988-1990
1980-1983
1981-1986
1987-1989
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
2001
2001
2002
2002
2005
2009-2010
2009-2010
2009-2010
1971-1990s
2009
2004-2005
2007-2008
2001
2001-2002
2001-2002
2006
2006
2001
2002-2003
2004-2005
2001
2000-2001
2004
2005
2003
2007-2008
2001-2002
2001-2002
2001-2002
2008
2006
2006
2002-2003
2002-2003
2007
2006
2005
2004-2005
2015 January 27 - April 19
2014 October 21-2015 February 22
2023 August 31
2015 September 29-2016 February 27
2023
2002 January 21-June 24
2007
2004-2005
1996
1997
2014
2007-2008
2018
2015-2016
2001-2002
2003
2002
2017
2017
2004
2011
undated
2018
1998
2018
1994
1993
1990
1994
undated
2004
2008
2018
2014
2005
2023-2024
1995
2017-2018
2002
2008
2003
2004
2002
2003
2007
2005
2017
2006-2007
2004-2005
2008
2015
2016-2020
2020-2022
2018
undated
undated
2010-2011
undated
2022-2023
2007-2008
2004
2021-2022
2006-2007
1978-1979
1995
1968-1970
undated
2000
2001
1995
1981-1992
1995
1995
1997
1993-1994
1994
2001
1994
1968
1968
1968
1998
1977-1986
1976-1986
1976-1986, undated
1974-1984
1976-1988, undated
1977-1986, undated
1977-1986, undated
1975-1981
1974-1986
1977-1979, 1986
1983-1986, undated
1975-1985
1986
1977-1984
1975-1984, undated
1995
1987-1988
1993-1995
1995
1995
1994
1990-1991
1991-1992
1992-1993
1993-1994
1994-1995
1995-1996
1998-1999
1999-2000
1996
1983-1994
1995
2000
1977
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1998
1977-1978
1989
1977-1984
2008
1981
1988
undated
2000
2008
1995
1988, 1993, 1997-1999
1978-1987
1980-1992
1969-1971
2007
2001-2003
2002
1970-1999
undated
undated
undated
2001-2004
1950s
1988
1998
1971-1978
undated
1983-1988
1983-1988
1984, undated
1995-1996
1988-1990
undated
1970
1966, undated
1966,undated
1996
1998
1999
1987
1987
1979-2002
undated
undated
undated
1980
1996
undated
undated
2004
2005-2006
1979, undated
1988
2007-2008
2014-2015
2015-2017
2017-2019
2023 Winter
undated
1991-1992
1973-1974
1973-1974
1987-1988
1973
1971-1988
1980-1989
1972-1992
2005-2007
1991-1992
1995
1995
1981-1987, 1995-1997
1975, 1980-1997
2001-2008
2008-2009
1999-2003
2003, 2007-2008
1976, 1978
1980-1981
1987-1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2008
2009
undated
undated
2001, 2005, undated
undated
1975
undated
2014
1991
2001-2002
1981
1979
1975
1972-1991, undated
1975-1979
1979-1984
1977
1975-1986, undated
1999
1975, 1977, undated
2007
1998
2006
2014
2003, 2007
1982-1989
1987-1998
1982-1992
1980
1972-1999
1978-1990
1984-1991
1980-1992
1972-2001
1973-1991
1980-1987
1975-1990
1972-1982
1984-1987
1972-1989
1997
1984, 1987
1992
1990-1996
1980-1984
1981-1991
1996
1974, 1980
1984-1985
1982-1991
1976-1987
1980-1983
1992
1973-1993
1977-1996
1979-1989
1986-1991
1994-1995
1980-1988
1971-1990
1990-1996
1994
1980-1990
1980
1971-1986
1992
1987-1991
1979-1988
1985-1989
1972-1992
1987-1990
1980-1987
1992
1989-1992
1986-1988
1983-1992
1991-1992
1990-1991
1969-1985
1988
1980-1992
1990
1977-1984, undated
1981-1992
undated
1984-1992
1994-1999
1974-1993
1999
1999-2000
1965
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994 February
1994 March-April
1994 May-August
1994 October-November
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
1988
1991
1977
1984-1997
1984-1997
1981-1991
1994-1995
1977-1985
1986-1992
1993-2000
1971-1979
1975-1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991