South Dakota Air & Space Museum

The South Dakota Air and Space Museum, located adjacent to Ellsworth Air Force Base near Box Elder — approximately 12 miles east of Rapid City — documents the history of American military aviation in the Great Plains through approximately 30 aircraft displayed indoors and outdoors. The museum is a joint venture between the State of South Dakota and the U.S. Air Force, focusing primarily on the aviation heritage of Ellsworth AFB, which has been home to B-1B Lancer bombers, B-52 Stratofortresses, and Cold War-era nuclear deterrence missions. The outdoor aircraft park contains full-size aircraft including a B-1B Lancer, B-52 Stratofortress, F-105 Thunderchief, F-4 Phantom II, and A-10 Thunderbolt II displayed at close range on open ground. Indoor exhibits cover the full history of Ellsworth AFB, the Strategic Air Command legacy, the Minuteman ICBM program, and local aviation pioneers who shaped Great Plains aviation history. Admission to the museum is free; optional paid tours of Ellsworth AFB itself depart from the museum and provide access to a live aircraft ramp, operational areas, and additional aircraft typically not on public display. Base tours require advance reservation and government-issued identification screening at the gate. The museum's adjacency to an active Air Force base means military aircraft takeoffs and landings occasionally occur during visits. A gift shop stocks aviation-themed merchandise and U.S. Air Force memorabilia. The museum is open year-round with reduced winter hours on weekdays only.