North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum

The museum is on the grounds of the State capital complex not far from the unusual State Capital Building, a relative skyscraper in Bismarck. You won't have trouble finding it.😉 The museum is surprisingly extensive covering North Dakota from prehistoric times to the present. As should be in a state named after the Dakota (Lakota) tribe, there are plenty of exhibits on Native American culture. There is popular art by North Dakota artists. Basically, if you want an immersion experience in things North Dakota, I can hardly come up with a better place. Surprised Sinay says: Don't miss the chance to visit the restrooms here. The walls are covered with signs detailing decades in North Dakota history. Nice use of the necessary room as a information repository.

Very education with a large breadth of topics. Provided (new to me) context on conditions and life styles of native Americans in the region and their effects on America as a whole. Loved seeing the training equipment of the missile launch. Lots of great fossils, well preserved dinosaur mummy, and rare fossils. Context and comparisons between different sized animals of the same family also provided a perspective I enjoyed.

This is an amazing museum that chronicles the rich history of North Dakota from the time that dinosaurs roamed the earth until the current time. There is an incredible volunteer staff that is friendly and helpful. Admission is free but donations are accepted and appreciated.

The North Dakota Heritage Center is a phenomenal state museum in the heart of Bismark near the state capital. The building itself is very open and modern, with spacious halls throughout. Admission is free (although donations are accepted). We visited all three permanent galleries, which covered prehistoric times, early peoples, and the more modern state history. The exhibits are well thought out, with just the right amount of interpretive materials. We especially enjoyed the prehistoric gallery with the dinosaur fossils and prehistoric timeline. There is plenty of parking in two large parking lots located next to the NDHC. We also had a light lunch on site in the El Coqui cafe (wonderful soup and sandwiches) before exploring the gift shop. The NDHC is located near the capital building , making it easy to spend a day on site.

Had a great experience at the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum. It’s one of the few free museums around, and it’s definitely worth a visit—whether you’re going solo, with friends, or with family. The lady at the front was incredibly helpful, and we were able to explore everything before our flight home. There’s plenty of parking, it’s in a great location, and while admission is free, they do accept donations. A worthwhile stop if you're in the area.

This museum is a great place to visit and learn more about NOrth Dakota history. The tree house is always a hit with my kids, we enjoy visiting on the weekends.

With free entrance and many exhibits to see, this is a wonderful museum. It is very educational, and the layout is well thought-out and easy to navigate. Some gift shop items are a bit too pricey, in my opinion, but I enjoyed our visit!

An impressive museum that brings together history, culture, and nature all in one place. The exhibits are beautifully organized—from dinosaur fossils to Native artifacts and key moments in the state’s history. Everything is well maintained, and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable. Admission is free, which makes it even better. Definitely a must-visit if you’re in Bismarck!

**June 2025: Thursday Morning** This Heritage Center & State Museum is really impressive, especially since admission was free! It's located right next to the State Capitol and was certainly a highlight for my Bismarck trip. There's free parking and the entrance has a nice glass entry way. When my friend and I checked in to grab a map we were met by several very sweet and welcoming women. There were four exhibit areas to explore but the dinosaur exhibit was by far my favorite. They had several lifesize bone displays and informative posters. Another area was focused on the Native Americans culture and customs and the last one shared North Dakota's agriculture history and the people who make up North Dakota. I forgot what the third installation was about. Nevertheless, I think you could probably spend at least 3 hours in this museum if you wanted to read everything in depth. I learned a lot from this experience, and if my adventures take me back to Bismarck I'd be open to come back to see what the next rotating exhibit is all about.

Next to the State Capital, is this place - the Heritage Center & State Museum. This wasn't on the agenda for the road trip but glad I stopped in. More random knowledge to pack my brain with learning about this country I call home - just other parts or in this case, another state. There's free parking all over the grounds. I had parked behind the Center/Museum which allowed me to see other exhibits outside. There's a Veteran's Memorial as well as the historic train car. Inside, there are four galleries and they're in chronological order. And almost forgot - free admission. It's a mix of cultural and natural history with art collections. The galleries are fixed, but I was told the exhibits do rotate so I should make sure to go back. If it were driving distance away, there'd be no hesitation. However, I'll just have to add this to my "if it's meant to be" list. Just really glad I got to see it.

The North Dakota Heritage Center is a must-do whether you're a visitor or a local. We're nicely welcomed by the volunteer manning the front desk and she explained the layout of the Center for us. It's very well laid out with great displays and write ups that take you through the history of North Dakota and explains what life was like throughout the many years. We spent well over an hour there.

The staff at the museum was friendly, helpful, knowledgeable and kind. They went above and beyond to help me find an answer that I needed. Thank you, thank you!!

Nice museum with a lot of display and historical artifacts. It is indoor so perfect for the freezing winter and you want to stay warm .

This is an amazing museum and cultural center. It's a great place to start your journey journey learning about native heritage. The museum store is so interesting and the staff is incredibly helpful and supportive for those of you who live in North Dakota or come from North Dakota there's also a great records section for ancestry work.

Nice place especially considering it's free. The gentleman at the front desk was so excited to tell me all about it, which was so endearing and refreshing. I learned a lot, which was nice as it was my first day in ND when I went. Only downside is that finding the actual building was sort of confusing. Highly recommend.

Stopped by to see the Sakakawea statue outside the capitol building, and was so glad a local recommended we stop by the ND Heritage Museum. We were short on time, so we only made it to two exhibits: the dinosaurs and prehistoric animal skeletons and the Native American one. Both exhibits were great! We really enjoyed our time at the museum, it was so refreshing to go to such a nice museum and have it be free!

My husband and I really enjoyed the museum. We were greeted warmly by volunteers who gave us the lay 9f the land. The corridors and galleries did not disappoint. Many treasures and history North Dakota. Everything was thought through and displayed well. After our days of outdoor site seeing in the state and feeling wind blown, it was a wonderful oasis. It is hard to believe it is free admission.

Beautiful place. Full of history and expositions that catch your attention. Cool tree house kid place for the littles. Perfect place to chill when snowing outside.

Fascinating four section museum with many display cases of artifacts. The first, Facing the Wind, explains many native American tribes, and shares some of their stories and sacred places and rites. A second area shows fossils of dinosaurs,sea creatures and shells and minerals. A third showed many aspects of eArly native life, flint making, pottery, villages, clothing, and much more. We didn't make it to the fourth after a couple hours but it dealt with modern life.

has Mario and duck hunt and gift shop is literally da best place on earf W bwo If you don't go you are gay and wiwterawwy not sigma skibidi weird person why are you still reading if you don't stop you are gay

Incredibly informative and well organized. Plenty of interactive exhibits and a great looking building. Definitely would recommend if you are in the area.

This FREE museum has a very friendly staff and did a good job taking Covid seriously including the only place on our two week trip that took our temperatures. All patrons wore masks. The museum is a really nice space and if you are interested in learning more about dinosaurs, horses, and Native Americans this is a great place. We found the best section to be the last on immigrants, agriculture and industry in ND. Definitely worth the detour if passing by the Bismarck area.

6/8/2023 I wasn't particularly interested in North Dakota history being from central California but this place won me over and blew me away. It's beautifully and professionally organized and presented. The displays are absolutely AWESOME and arranged in very logical groupings. Free admission was an extra bonus surprise. The dinosaur and fish fossils are fascinating and terrifically arranged. Some of the most fearsome creatures I've ever seen! Admission is free and they even have electric scooters, if you need one. The North Dakota Historical Society is to be commended for the Heritage Center and State Museum and for the Ronald Reagan Minuteman Missile Site which they also operate. We toured both sites and thoroughly enjoyed them. I'm in my 70's but if I were just 7, I couldn't have enjoyed the displays more!

What an awesome museum! We were in Bismarck to handle some family business and decided we needed to do at least one fun thing before we left town. The weather was pretty yucky and cold so we decided to go here and check it out. This museum is worth so much more than the free entry fee. There was so much to look at and it was way more interesting than I thought it would be. I always thought North Dakota was pretty boring but it was interesting to see how well they connected all the different points in history. I would've liked to see a little more about the oil industry since my family is involved in it, but I was thrilled to see everything else they had to offer. I especially liked all of the women's clothing through history and the nuclear site stuff. There's definitely something for the entire family here.

This museum was a great avenue to learn more about North Dakota and its history!! Near the capitol, the museum is FREE but I certainly think giving a donation is warranted. Staff are friendly + inviting + knowledgeable. I recommend visiting. We got through the museum in one hour but that's because we rushed before closing. I recommend 2 hours to truly enjoy the experience.

Great place to go to on a day trip if you're interested in North Dakota history. It's even free entry! I really enjoyed their exhibits on Native. American culture and North Dakota geology. Their café has great food as well. Had a great time taking my parents there!

Five stars for a varied, dynamic and deep exploration of North Dakota history, both long past and more recent. From the Lakota Indians though the exploration of the West to Minuteman Missile Silos and the Petroleum Industry, there's a tremendous amount of history and quite a lot of artifacts to explore here. Much of it is targeted to kids with displays at lower levels and lots of things clearly marked "please touch." I had two hours to explore before I had to move on and I think I did pretty well. All of the guides with whom I interacted were super friendly and very helpful. Especially Vic. Thanks, Vic! Free admission but you're encouraged to donate. And you should. There's also a gift shop with local trinkets and such.

The salad from the cafe in the Heritage Center was expensive yet had only about a tablespoon of lettuce with a few olives and cherry tomatoes. I think they may have forgotten to add chicken to it

Other than my 50th State Capitol visit in Bismarck, the highlight of my time in North Dakota was this excellent museum. Smithsonian-level quality, there was a terrific variety of displays and impressive artifacts. DEFINITELY don't visit North Dakota without stopping here!

This place is just amazing! It's free will offering so please donate. It has amazing exhibits from ND ... from the dinosaur room ( including fossilized skin!) to the amazing native heritage room including stories from elders and great pieces of pride and history along with cool bits about how the native Americans lived in the past; a must see exhibit! They have a cool room on military history and history brought over by those who braved the ocean to find opportunities. ND from the first settlers to now. There are amazing animal exhibits, and rotating exhibits along with some WW2 exhibits. The play space is great for kids and the halls past the Heritage center feature great photos along with stories. There is a nice cafe close by in the building too! It's an easy stop as it's on State street just south of interstate.

YES a wonderful History lesson today for me, even at my age lol I admission is free but we did leave a nice donation. One of the finer museums we have seen in a long time. It is great for all ages. The café is really good also. It is a must to see all of the museum.

Wow! For a heritage center that is operating off of state funds and donations, I am impressed! This is the first time I've ever been to a heritage/cultural center that was free admission and state of the art! I highly recommend going here if your visiting Bismarck. I'm from Texas and my knowledge of North Dakota is limited. I definitely learned a lot about the state's history free of charge!!

Other reviews have covered the exhibits, so I'll just agree--this is a really nicely done museum, especially considering admission is free, and is absolutely worth a stop. The really lovely art deco state capitol is on the same property, and also worth a visit. We spent about 90 minutes here and really had to pick where to spend our time. You could easily spend half a day. The whole place definitely exceeded my expectations.

On my first visit, I spent nearly the entire day in there and still ran out of time before getting completely through reading everything in the ND heritage exhibit which was the last one I visited. I was reading every exhibit's information plaques which is why the first visit took so long, as well as being with a big history buff who was also talking about some of the stuff there. My second visit was much shorter, the person I was with wasn't nearly as huge a history buff as me but I did get to finish up the ND heritage exhibit. It's a really interesting place and I'm glad I've checked it out as I'm not originally from ND but always interested in the history of places I live. The staff here is always super friendly. A nice supplemental trip would be going out to Double Ditch, which the Native heritage exhibit covers.

Could have spent all day here. From dinosaurs to recent history, this museum has it all!

Free and Fun. Dinosaurs, Native American Cultural, and Modern History all honored in this great museum.

I hadn't been here in forever, but we had a lot of fun! It's completely free - and they even have dinosaurs. This girl loves me some dinosaurs. They have a lot of North Dakota history and even a teepee you can go inside. My daughter is four, and she loved it there. She couldn't get enough of everything there was to see. They have a cute little gift shop too that has some cute North Dakota related stuff to check out.

Wonderful museum full of North Dakota history, and it's free! It's a place where current oil practices are on display right across from dinosaurs and other fossils. Lewis and Clark era artifacts, stagecoach, one room school house, ect. Great place for kids to wander and learn. Sometimes there is someone available to walk through with.

Free admission...sitting bull and mastadon skeleton was a plus for the kids

I had a great time here and I can't believe that its 100% free! I loved the gift shop with so many made in North Dakota items!

What a fantastic free museum. Highly recommend a visit. Plan for a couple hours. Great for kids. I only wish they would have more info on their signs with the exhibits! Excellent!

A good place to learn about the history of North Dakota and a fun way to spend an afternoon. Admission is free and definitely worth it. If you are in Bismarck and have a couple of hours, then I would highly recommend the Heritage Center especially if you have kids. There is a playground called the "Treetop" upstairs for kids to play in. The dinosaur exhibit is my favorite and a must see for everyone. Don't hesitate to ask the workers to take your pictures with some of the dinosaur skeletons. They are huge and really cool. If dinosaurs aren't your thing, there are some neat statues outside as well. The workers are super nice and very knowledgable. The gift shop has some nice North Dakota souvenirs as well. The only thing that I didn't like were some of the bird stuff. I thought some birds looked a bit creepy, but that could be just me (I have an irrational fear of birds). Overall, the Heritage Center is a must see if you are in North Dakota.

We're visiting ND from TX and all 5 of my kids and myself enjoyed this!! There's a lot of different things so there's something for everyone's interest. There's also a treehouse which is filled with stuff for kids to do and experience!! I honestly can't believe this place doesn't charge to get in!! Free and a great experience is hard to find. If your in town definitely check it out. Great for all ages!!

What a great place to go! My kids loved and thought it was very interactive. Definitely worth the trip.

Not far south from I94 and next to the state capital building. We stopped here on our way to Fargo. If you have the time. it is worth a stop. You could spend as little as 30 minutes or up to 3 hours. They have 3 major exhibits. Dinosaurs & fossils, Native American and North Dakota heritage. The dinosaur exhibit is a must see; it includes a fossilized skeleton that has it's original skin in tact. I also enjoyed the Native American exhibits.