About The Museum: (click for more info)
Welcome to the Black Hills Mining Museum, located in the mile-high city of Lead. Our non-profit educational corporation is dedicated to the preservation of the rich mining heritage of the Black Hills of South Dakota. We invite you to visit us and enjoy our numerous exhibits and activities. For more than a century, gold mining was the #1 industry in Lead and in the Northern Black Hills. Today that mining heritage is cleverly depicted as an educational and fun Black Hills Badlands Association Family Approved Attraction.
Guided Mine Tours: (click for more info)
Our museum’s experienced, knowledgeable, and fun tour guides will escort you on a fascinating and informative tour of our simulated underground gold mine – the only comprehensive look at both early-day and modern underground mining that can be found in the Black Hills. This realistic exhibit was created by more than 140 Homestake miners and former mine employees some 30 years ago to tell the story of the Western Hemisphere’s deepest gold mine.
Gold Panning: (click for more info)
We don’t just play in the water here…we go for the gold!! We provide some of the most generous gold samples that can be found in the Black Hills! Share the thrill experienced by the prospectors in the museum’s hands-on gold panning activities. We guarantee gold, and you get to keep it! With the friendly personal help of our staff you will learn the techniques of panning and take home your own sample of real placer gold!
Meet Our Team:
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- Mike Stahl – President, Board of Directors
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- David – Board Member, Tour Guide/Gold Panning Instructor/Research Volunteer
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- Ed Carr – Board Member Emeritus
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- Bob Phillips – Board Member Emeritus, Volunteer
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- Todd Duex – Board Member Emeritus
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- Debbie Vardiman – Tour Guide/Gold Panning Instructor/Head Archive Volunteer
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- Deidra Larson – Tour Guide/Panning Instructor/Accountant
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- Mary Braun – Archive Volunteer
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- Harlow Anderson – Archive Volunteer
