Officials optimistic at local attractions

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The Dakota Discovery Museum, as seen through the Farwell Church window on the grounds, is reporting a slight increase in visitation and Executive Director Lori Holmberg sees a promising future for the nonprofit entity. (Chris Huber/Republic Photo)

Talk about it

Being the executive director of the Dakota Discovery Museum is not all glamour.

When an alarm sounds indicating the sump pump has failed, endangering the carefully maintained atmosphere at the museum, it always seems to happen in the middle of the night, according to Lori Holmberg, the museum’s executive director. “I come down and beat it into submission,” Holmberg said with a chuckle. “I get it to start again.” She also shifts displays and hauls art pieces from storage to the museum. Holmberg said the job entails selecting exhibits, raising money and doing whatever else needs to be done.

“It’s a challenge,” she said. “It’s a lot of long hours. It’s definitely a labor of love.”

This year, though, representatives of the museum and two other local attractions that complement the city’s star attraction, the Corn Palace, say they are pleased with their visitor numbers.

As was reported earlier this fall, visitation at the Corn Palace dropped by 0.04 percent compared to last year. At the museum, about 6,600 people visited from January through mid-October, Holmberg said. That’s on par with expectations, with 7,500 visitors the goal for this year.

“We’re right on track,” she said.

During the summer, the museum experienced an 18 percent increase in visitation from last year, Holmberg said.

The Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village, meanwhile, had a slight reduction in visitors during the 2010 tourism season compared to the previous year.

The Indian village had 10,632 visitors this year, according to Steve Clark, vice president of the board that governs the nonprofit entity. Last year, there were 10,973 visitors, 1,000 of which were Brulé concert attendees in August. There was no concert this year.

“Extracting these, we actually had a slight increase with no concert factored in,” Clark said.

At the McGovern Legacy Museum, attendance was up 20 percent this year.

The center conducts a count from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30. During the most recent 12-month period, the estimate is that 19,194 people passed through the museum, which is located in the George and Eleanor McGovern Library on the Dakota Wesleyan University campus across the street from Dakota Discovery Museum.

‘We’re stable’

Holmberg said while Dakota Discovery Museum welcomes tourists, its primary purpose is to provide local residents with a place to see and learn about art and discover the region’s history.

Holmberg said a promotional video now showing at the Corn Palace has helped attract visitors.

The museum, which leases space from Dakota Wesleyan University for $1 a year, had to work hard to get back on track. The Great Recession of 2008-2009 hit it hard, Holmberg said.

The Friends of the Middle Border, which operates the Dakota Discovery Museum, had a 65 percent drop in its investment portfolio, she said. Gifts and donations dropped by the same percentage.

The museum’s budget was reduced from $250,000 a year to around $180,000. Two fulltime employees were laid off.

Holmberg is now the only full-time employee. Laurie Yeo is a part-time employee and two college students were hired during the summer to help out.

The museum wouldn’t be able to function without a dedicated corps of volunteers, Holmberg said. They staff the desk and perform other tasks to keep the doors open and the facility humming along.

This summer, Holmberg made an appeal to the Mitchell City Council for $25,000 to hire an employee to market the museum. The council rejected the request.

“Disappointed but not unexpected,” Holmberg said of her reaction.

The museum was closed last winter but will be open this winter, Holmberg said. Its winter hours, which began Oct. 1, are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 1-4 p.m. Saturdays. It’s closed on Sundays.

Holmberg, 48, is a Nebraska native. She came to Mitchell when her husband landed a job here. Holmberg said she has had a longtime interest in art and decided to pursue an education in that field.

In 1995, she earned a degree at DWU, majoring in business administration and marketing with a minor in art.

Holmberg said despite the rough months, things are looking up again for the museum.

“We’re stable,” she said. “It’s always two steps forward, one back.”

Concert planned

No concert was held this year at the Indian Village, because Indian Village board members couldn’t make a date work with the act they were negotiating with, Clark said.

A “big concert” is set for June 18, 2011. The act, which he declined to name pending a formal announcement, has “universal appeal,” Clark said.

An annual concert is a key to the attraction’s success each year, according to Clark.

The Indian Village has an annual budget of $125,000 to $130,000. There are two fulltime employees along with some part-time workers and a great deal of volunteer help.

It is funded through visitors, gift-shop sales, a membership drive and the annual concert event, Clark said. The Indian Village has future plans for a new gift shop/Native American cultural center.

The Indian Village will close for the winter Nov. 1 and will reopen April 1.

Kent Boline, who serves as the manager, and tour guide Dennis Scott work at the village the entire time it is open.

This year, the Indian Village has teamed with local musicians to raise some money. The Mitchell High School marching band is selling chances on a 2010 Ford Mustang.

Tickets can be bought at the Indian Village, the Mitchell Area Chamber of Commerce or from any MHS marching band member. Tickets sell for $20, or three for $50 or six for $100.

The car has been displayed at home football games. The Mustang has also been exhibited at the Highland Travel Plaza.

The drawing will be Nov. 8 at the Mitchell High School marching band contest.

The proceeds will benefit the ongoing educational efforts at the Prehistoric Indian Village with a percentage to go to the marching band.

The village is a six-acre site on the west bank of Lake Mitchell. Native Americans lived at the site around 1,000 years ago.

McGovern’s profile helps

George McGovern has been very visible this year, and that has promoted his museum on the Dakota Wesleyan University campus.

That may explain a 20 percent increase in visitation.

McGovern published a new book on Abraham Lincoln in 2009 and since then has appeared on several cable talk shows and has done numerous interviews with media across the nation, according to Don Simmons, associate professor and dean of the College of Public Service, Leadership and Graduate Studies at DWU and executive director of the McGovern Center.

And there was one other thing that may explain the rise in attendance.

“His jump out of a plane in July sure didn’t hurt,” Simmons said, referring to the tandem skydive McGovern completed to mark his 88th birthday. The event received nationwide attention.

“We’ve definitely had an increase in visitors this year,” Simmons said. “It’s been noticeable.”

In 2008-09, 15,996 people came to the museum. In 2007-08, the figure was 16,884.

In the first year it was opened, 2006-07, the total was 25,113.

After two straight declines, the boost in visitation was good news, Simmons said.

Simmons said a new movie that was produced by the center and filmed in South Dakota, “Hungry for Green,” also boosted visitation.

The documentary premiered at Harvard University and has been shown on several public television stations across the country. It shows scenes from the DWU campus, including the McGovern Center, and also includes images of Mitchell, including the Corn Palace.

“We’ve gotten a lot of calls connected to that,” he said.

Simmons said the McGovern Legacy Museum is now included in more guidebooks and hotels and motels in the area to let visitors know the museum is open and welcomes visitors.

“And that just took a couple years,” he said. Simmons said efforts to promote the museum will continue, and he hopes visitation numbers reflect that.

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