Old Courthouse Museum

Sioux Falls’ Old Courthouse Museum is free to visit, with exhibits ranging from ancient stone tools to paintings, war artifacts, area photos, Indigenous household goods, old-school toys, and more. The museum’s staff curates rotating displays as well, often addressing national history, such as World War I and women’s suffrage.

Visitors will likely find themselves within walking distance of the courthouse—it’s just north of downtown and a couple of blocks from the Big Sioux River Recreation Trail (not to mention the river itself). Downtown walking tours, food tours, and scavenger hunts make the courthouse an easy stop to bring some Sioux Falls history to your itinerary.

• The Old Courthouse Museum is fully wheelchair and stroller accessible.

• A gift shop, with souvenirs and Indigenous-crafted items, is on the first floor.

• Photography is allowed inside the museum—just turn off your flash.

From downtown Sioux Falls, the Old Courthouse Museum is just a few minutes’ walk. If you’re driving, there are parking lots on the north and west sides of the museum (with free 2-hour parking); metered spots on the surrounding streets abound as well. Beyond that, taxis and rideshares are available, and cyclists can get within a few blocks via the Big Sioux River Recreation Trail.

Sioux Falls’ Old Courthouse Museum is typically open every day of the week, keeping general business hours—with reduced hours on Sundays. There’s no bad time to visit, as the museum rarely gets crowded. Just be sure you have at least an hour or so to see all three floors.

Beyond the courthouse’s impressive slate stairs, granite pillars, and ornate fireplaces, you’ll want to check out the huge murals—there are 16 of them lining the walls. Painted around 1916 by local Ole Running, they depict life in both South Dakota and Norway. For more public art, stroll downtown looking for the statues, too.