Black Hills History & Museums: Adams Museum, Deadwood South Dakota

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Adams Museum & House

Late 1800’s and early 1900’s history is preserved and exhibited in Deadwood SD at the Adams Museum and the Historic Adams House.

The Adams Museum & House are two separate historic sites in Deadwood, South Dakota.

Adams Museum
Deadwood’s Adams Museum is considered the Black Hills’ oldest history museum. The Adams Museum was founded in downtown Deadwood, SD in 1930 by W.E. Adams. The museum houses three floors of exhibits, a western history bookstore, restrooms and a meeting room. The Museum is wheelchair accessible. Included in the artifacts is Potato Creek Johnny’s gold nugget and N.C. Wyeth pencil sketch of Wild Bill Hickok.

  • Location: 54 Sherman Street
  • Phone: 605-578-1714
  • Website: www.deadwoodhistory.org
  • Hours:
    May 1st-Sept 30th open daily from 9am to 5pm.
    Oct 1st-Apr 30th open Tues-Sat from 10am to 4pm.
  • Fees: A suggested donation of $5 per adult, $2 per child (10 or under) is appreciated.
  • More Information: Artifacts on display from Deadwood’s Wild West past include items which once belonged to Wild Bill, Calamity Jane and Deadwood Dick. Other items of interest are the Lakota bead and quill work, as well as the Thoen Stone.

Historic Adams House
Built in 1892 by Harris and Anna Franklin, the Historic Adams House as described as the grandest house west of the Mississippi. After changing owners over the years, the house was purchased by W.E. Adams in 1920. The house was closed up in 1936 with all the contents and furnishings left intact. Today, the Historic Adams House includes the Mary Adams Orientation Center with wheelchair accessible bathrooms, orientation exhibition and gift shop. The Historic Adams House is wheelchair accessible on the first floor.

  • Location: 22 Van Buren Ave
  • Phone: 605-578-3724
  • Hours:
    April: open Tues-Sat 10am to 4pm
    May 1st-Sept 30th: open daily 9am to 5pm
    October: open Tues-Sat 10am to 4pm
    Closed November through March
  • Fees: Admission to the Historic Adams House tour is $10 for adults, $5 for children (ages 7-13) and free for children 6 and under.

Other Adams Museum & House Resources

Adam's Museum and House

Make sure to visit the Adams Museum and House while in Deadwood, South Dakota.