Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center

“The Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center is a very cool and interesting destination to visit in the Black Hills. The site was an old gold mine that is now serving as a science laboratory. The visitor center is free and offers a number of exhibits covering the gold mine and town history, the transition to a deep underground science lab, to the science studies of today and tomorrow. We were fortunate that the sponsored a pop up event with a researcher available for questions on the day we visited. This is the place to go if you are interested in black matter and space.”

“I really enjoyed this place. First off it has its own parking lot, it’s free, and has clean bathrooms… which makes it a great place to meet up or kill some time between other activities. Secondly, the Homestake Mine and Sanford Lab are both fascinating and well presented. The staff (or volunteers?) were all super friendly and enthusiastic. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to take the bus tour. My only quibble is that I would have liked a better view into the open cut. Either a cantilevered or elevated platform that would allow you to see the bottom would really rock!”

“We had a fantastic time at the Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center in Lead, South Dakota! Seeing the Open Cut in person was incredible, and the interactive exhibits made the experience even better. Our kids especially loved playing with the magnets, exploring the hands-on displays, and watching the interactive videos. The photo opportunities were awesome too and made for some great family memories. It's a fun, educational stop that's perfect for both kids and adults. We highly recommend adding it to your Black Hills itinerary!”

“If you’re ever in Deadwood, you absolutely have to check out this place! It’s just a quick 10-15 minute drive away. They’ve got a super cool visitor center packed with souvenirs. Plus, it’s fascinating to see all the old mining equipment and learn about its history.”

“Super cool free museum. I love geology, science and super deep holes. If that sounds like fun, you will love this stop”

“Interesting place....enjoyed our visit here....Interesting information about mining in the area...”

“Nice place to take your kids, had a good time, I'd go back”

“If you’re into giant holes in the ground, and really, who isn’t, 😆 the Sanford Lab Visitor Center in Lead is a fun and quirky stop. The exhibits do a great job of making complex science surprisingly digestible. It is not a huge place, but you will walk away feeling smarter than when you walked in. A solid little detour if you are in the area.”