Aktá Lakota Museum & Cultural Center

Wóuŋspe – EducationCreative Collaborations
2024-12-02 08:00 - 2025-07-01 18:00 (America/North_Dakota/Center) | Aktá Lakota Museum, St. Joseph's Indian School, Chamberlain, SD, 57325, United States
Wóuŋspe – Education | Creative Collaborations honors the deep connection between Native American students and their mentors, seen through an artistic perspective.
This exhibition highlights the creative works of students from St. Joseph’s Indian School, developed through collaborative projects with visiting artists and the South Dakota Artists in Schools and Communities program. Each artwork embodies the powerful blend of cultural expression, artistic mentorship, and collective creativity. These collaborations allowed students to delve into various mediums and themes, enriching their connections to their artistic identities and heritage. The exhibition underscores the importance of sharing cultural traditions, artistic methods, and storytelling practices. Attendees will encounter a vibrant mix of voices and styles, showcasing the fresh insights of youth alongside the wisdom of experience. The exhibit also features artwork from Oglala Lakota Artists in Residence Micheal Two Bulls and Randall Blaze. Learn More!
Artist Reception – May 1, 2025 | 5:00 – 7:00 PM

St. Joseph’s Student Art Exhibit
2025-03-03 - 2025-03-31
In honor of National Youth Art Month in March, St. Joseph’s Indian School students are being recognized through a Student Art Show and Sale hosted by the Aktá Lakota Museum.
The exhibition aims to highlight the importance of art education for all children and advocate for the support of quality school and community art programs. It provides St. Joseph’s students with the opportunity to exhibit their artwork in a gallery setting.
Participation in the Youth Art Show and Sale provides students with a chance to showcase their creativity and talent to a wider audience. During the exhibition, visitors have the opportunity to purchase artwork directly from the student artists, with 100% of the proceeds going to the student.
The exhibition is currently open in Historical Center Gallery and will continue until April 1st.

Voices of the Plains Exhibition
2025-07-02 08:00 - 16:30
Voices of Resilience: Contemporary Native American Women Artists invites viewers to engage with the strength and creativity of Native American women. The exhibition fosters a deeper understanding of their roles as innovators and leaders within the art community and their cultures, celebrating the rich tapestry of their experience and the resilience that defines their art. Pieces for this exhibit are pulled from the Aktá Lakota Museum’s permanent collection and includes work by Athena LaTocha, Renelle White Buffalo, Angela Babby, Dyani White Hawk, Jennifer White-Sahl, Joanne Bird, and Mikayla Patton.

Voices of the Plains
2025-07-24 - 2026-06-12
This exhibit features artwork from the Aktá Lakota Museum’s permanent collection, highlighting the creativity and resilience of artists connected to the Plains. Through a diverse range of styles, media, and generations, Voices of the Plains celebrates the depth and vibrancy of Native expression. The exhibition also reflects the museum’s ongoing commitment to honoring Indigenous voices and expanding its evolving collection.
Curated by David A. Meyer II
Featured artwork: Pride of the Prairie (c) 2017 by Alfreda Beartrack-Algeo, Lakota

St. Joseph’s Student Art Exhibit
2026-03-02 08:00 - 2026-03-31 16:30
In honor of National Youth Art Month in March, students of St. Joseph’s Indian School are being celebrated through a Student Art Show and Sale hosted by the Aktá Lakota Museum & Cultural Center.
The exhibition highlights the importance of art education for all children while advocating for continued support of quality school and community art programs. It also provides St. Joseph’s students with the opportunity to present their work in a professional gallery setting.
Participation in the Student Art Show and Sale allows students to share their creativity and artistic talents with a broader audience. Throughout the exhibition, visitors may purchase artwork directly from the student artists, with 100 percent of the proceeds benefiting the students.
A closing reception and gala will be hosted by the Aktá Lakota Museum on March 26 for participating students, their families, and staff.
The exhibition is on display in the Historical Center Gallery and will remain open to the public through March 31.
Exhibition is curated by Casey Walsh, Museum Curator.

Now on Exhibit: Real Tradish
2026-07-01 - 2026-10-31
Modernity Meets Tradition: Real Tradish explores the intersection of modernity and traditional Lakota ways. The exhibit features work that bridges past and present—through the application of traditional techniques and symbolism to modern materials, themes, and imagery. Together, these pieces affirm that Lakota traditions are not gone; they are living practices that continue to adapt, endure, and thrive in the 21st century.
Curated by Casey Walsh, Curator of Collections and Exhibitions
Featured Artwork: Untitled – Self Portrait © 1988; Daniel Long Soldier, Oglala Lakota.

"Americans"
2026-11-07 08:00 - 2027-01-07 16:30
The South Dakota Humanities Council is bringing Americans, a Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibition to the Aktá Lakota Museum for an exclusive tour in 2026!
Based on a major exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC, Americans explores how deeply intertwined American Indians are in the culture of the United States.
American Indians are less than 1% of the population, yet images of Indians are everywhere. American Indian images, names, and stories infuse American history and contemporary life. Pervasive, powerful, at times demeaning, the images, names, and stories reveal how Indians have been embedded in unexpected ways in the history, pop culture, and identity of the United States.
Americans surrounds visitors with images and objects from popular culture and delves into these historical events. The exhibition invites visitors to explore this complicated history and to share local stories about Native American history, culture and identity.
South Dakota Host and Partner Sites.
September 12 – October 31, 2026 – SDSU Briggs Library, Brookings
November 7, 2026 – January 9, 2027 – Aktá Lakota Museum, St. Joseph’s Indian School, Chamberlain
January 16 – March 6, 2027 – The Heritage Center, Red Cloud Indian School, Pine Ridge
March 13 – May 1, 2027 – AH Brown Library, Scherr Howe Event Center, Mobridge
May 8 – June 26, 2027 – W.H. Over Museum, USD, Vermillion
