MITCHELL, SD (Mitchell Now) — It’s an exciting week for the Mitchell Indigenous Archaeological Site and Museum, as the center will revolutionize how it operates going forward.
On top of that, Wednesday ties in with the Mitchell Public Library’s summer reading program, “Unearth A Story.” Free tours will be given, beginning at 10 a.m. Guests will get to meet a real archaeologist who works at the site. The library encourages patrons to bring their friends and lots of questions.
The free tours come just a day after staff at the museum made a huge announcement on Facebook. Researchers at the Thomsen Center Archeodome are putting together a centralized digital research database that will preserve records such as field notes, drawings, photographs, and maps, all organized by quadrant.
When the first phase is complete, officials will all four-million-plus artifacts by type and origin. The information will help to create a three-dimensional online model of the excavation site. The hope is once the map is complete, the public will have better options to really dig in and explore, pun intended.
The site is a National Historic Landmark. The artifacts date back to a village first established around 1,000 A.D. It is the only active archaeological site open to visitors in the state. The museum is located at 3200 Indian Village Road in Mitchell.