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Homestake Gold Mine, South Dakota

Black Hills South Dakota

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Homestake Gold Mine

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America’s largest gold mine until it closed in 2001, the Homestake Gold mine offers above-ground tours that illuminate the underground mining process and tours the historic town of Lead, South Dakota

Providers these companies can get you there, sanford lab homestake visitor center.

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Discover the history of Lead, South Dakota here! Enjoy family fun throughout the community and explore the rich past and amazing future of the former Homestake Gold Mine.

• (605) 584-3110

Once the largest gold mine in America, Homestake Gold Mine has a rich history just waiting to be discovered. Tours explore the mine and the historic town of Lead, South Dakota.  Tour tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for students, veterans, and seniors, and free for children under the age of five.

Now the site of SURF and its scientific discovery and exploration, the former Homestake Gold Mine was once the largest and deepest gold mine in America. When it closed in 2001 after over 125 years of operation, the mine’s visitor center remained open with guided tours of Lead and the surface of the Homestead mining operation. Today, the exhibits and events provide a deeper look at the mining process, a history of Lead, and the future of scientific discovery at Sanford Underground Research Facility. The facility boasts a spectacular view of the massive Open Cut and a 3-D model of the underground drifts still in existence today.

The Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center is located at the east end of Main Street in Lead, South Dakota, about an hour west of Rapid City in the northern Black Hills.

The Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center is open year ‘round with tours and special events in the summer, and seasonal hours from October through April. The hoistroom tours last approximately one hour and can be booked online in advance at https://sanfordlab.org/slhvc/plan .

Pricing for the hoistroom tours is $15 for adults, $12 for students, veterans, and seniors, and free for children under the age of five.

More Information

For more information on the Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center, call 605-584-3110 or visit sanfordlab.org/slhvc . For special events, including Neutrino Day, SURF’s annual free summer science festival, follow the Sanford Lab Visitor Center on Facebook or Instagram .

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Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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About the Homestake Tours and Led

Our surface tour of the Homestake Mining Operation takes you through the historic town of Lead and Homestake’s underground surface operation. It follows the mining process including hoisting, crushing and milling of the underground ore and views Homestake Gold Mine’s state-of-the-art Waste Water Treatment Plant and open pit mine.

This is a guided tour that takes about 1 hour. You are taken via bus through the city of Lead then up to the Homestake surface operation. You get off the bus 2 times to go inside the different facilities of the operation that are located on the surface.

On completion of your tour you will receive a sample of ore that was drilled from the Homestake Gold Mine.

The tours run daily from May – September. You do not need to book a tour in advance unless you have a large group of people. If you have a large group of people, we recommend that you book your tour a few days in advance and we offer group rates as well.

If you have any questions regarding this information –

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Home What To Do Attractions Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center

Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center

Free Admission | Family-Friendly | Trolley Tours Seasonally | Bus Groups Welcome | Museum Store | Meeting and Event Space

As a northern gateway to the Black Hills, the Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center (Visitor Center) welcomes visitors from all over the world to Lead (pronounced leed), South Dakota. Conveniently positioned on Main Street, the Visitor Center is your first stop in the City of Lead!

Here, you’ll discover the story of this region — from the creation of the deepest gold mine in Northern Hemisphere, to Nobel Prize-winning science, to secrets of the universe still being uncovered at the Sanford Underground Research Facility — through exhibits, pop-up activities, and conversation with our knowledgeable staff.

Our facility offers a wide range of memorable experiences for curious minds of all ages. From the observation deck, view the expansive Open Cut. Take a photo in front of the Davis Ring, a piece of a Nobel Prize-winning experiment hosted nearly a mile underground. See a suspended sculpture of the vast underground workings, then step inside our virtual cage ride to the underground. Plus, take some inspiration home with you; we offer unique souvenirs, educational gifts, and more at the Visitor Center Museum Store!

The SLHVC will have winter hours October through April.  Those hours are 9am-4pm Monday-Saturday.

160 W. Main Lead, SD 57754

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We invite you to visit our exhibit hall, where you'll find exciting information about Sanford Underground Research Facility (Sanford Lab), the city of Lead, and the history of Homestake.

Free Admission | Family-Friendly | Trolley Tours Seasonally | Bus Groups Welcome | Museum Store | Meeting and Event Space As a northern gateway to the Black Hills, the Sanford

See what’s happening (or what the latest weather looks like) in Deadwood and the Black Hills of South Dakota.

a Beautiful Mine

HOMESTAKE GOLD MINE VISITOR CENTER (LEAD, SOUTH DAKOTA)

“The Homestake Visitor Center provides captivating surface tours that explore the historic town of Lead and both Homestake Gold Mine”s underground and surface operations. It also offers free viewing of the historic 1876 Open Cut mining area, artifacts, an informational mining video, historic and educational memorabilia and a gift shop.”

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When Fred and Moses Manuel discovered a large vein of gold in a rocky outcropping three miles south of Deadwood in 1876, they had no idea of its significance. They staked a claim, named it the Homestake Mine, and sold it to  George Hearst  in 1877. The mine would operate for the next 125 years, producing 40 million troy ounces of gold—making it one of the richest gold mines in the world. The Homestake Mine finally closed for good in 2002, but  Lead  reinvented itself as a city on the cutting edge of science. Today, Sanford Lab resides deep inside the former mine, conducting experiments on neutrinos, dark matter, and more. Visitors will find plenty of homages to the town’s gold mining days, but this former company town offers more than just memories of gold. 

Attractions

Located beside the 1,250-foot deep “open cut” portion of the original Homestake Mine, the  Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center  features exhibits dedicated to the city of Lead and the mine’s storied history, as well as information on the experiments taking place at the Sanford Underground Research Facility more than a mile underground. Guided tours are available, and guests can even hit a golf ball into the open cut for a guaranteed hole-in-one. The  Black Hills Mining Museum  is dedicated to preserving the town’s gold mining legacy through a variety of exhibits and activities. Tour a recreated gold mine and try your hand at gold panning—you’re guaranteed to find gold, and are allowed to take it home, too. It’s an educational and fun experience for the whole family. The  Historic Homestake Opera House  dates back to 1914 and was established by Phoebe Hearst to provide cultural opportunities. The venue included a 1,000-seat theater, recreation center, library, bowling alley, billiards hall, social hall, and indoor swimming pool. Destroyed by a fire in 1984, the Opera House was rebuilt and currently hosts dozens of arts/educational events throughout the year. Still undergoing restoration, one of its newest additions is an Interpretive Center upstairs. Tours are available. To promote Lead’s vibrant arts community, the  Lead-Deadwood Arts Center  houses an art gallery and gift shop, as well as custom framing services. A number of classes and other activities are scheduled year-round. To check out some of the art yourself, grab a map and embark upon the  Lead Urban Art Mural Project , a self-guided walking tour of 19 (and counting) murals at various locations throughout town. 

Boasting more annual snowfall than any other town in South Dakota, Lead is the perfect setting for  Winterfest , an annual three-day event in January celebrating all things winter. There are fun activities for all ages, including a parade of lights; Christmas tree bonfire; snowshoeing; skiing; pub music festival; chili cook-off; fat tire bike race; Homestake Opera winter movie series; ugly sweater run; fireworks and more. 

If cold isn’t your thing,  Lead Mountain Nights  is a free monthly summer music series showcasing local bands and artists. Food and craft vendors, a beverage garden, and activities for kids make this a perfect family event. Performances begin in June and continue through September. 

Gold Camp Jubilee Days  is one of the biggest and most popular 4th of July celebrations in the Black Hills. In addition to fireworks over the open cut, this four-day festival in Manuel Brothers Park dates back to 1926 and includes plenty of activities for kids and adults. There’s a parade, live entertainment, poker tournament, trail run, horseshoe tournament, arts and crafts, food and beverage vendors, a car show ‘n shine, and lots more. 

The second Saturday in July is reserved for  Neutrino Day , a free science festival sponsored by Sanford Lab to celebrate and educate visitors about science, including the ongoing neutrino and dark matter experiments being conducted a mile below the surface by Sanford Underground Research Facility. Activities and educational talks take place at several venues in town including the Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center, the All In One Events Center, and the Historic Homestake Opera House.  

Light Up Lead  is the perfect event to get you into the holiday spirit. This annual Christmas light decorating contest encourages residents to put up holiday lights and leave them on from dusk until 10 p.m. or later throughout the month of December so visitors can drive around and look at them. Prizes are awarded to the best displays. Another popular holiday event is the Festival of Trees Vintage Holiday Celebration at the Historic Homestake Opera House. It’s been a family tradition for almost 40 years, making it the Black Hills’ oldest festival of trees. The celebration features a collection of decorative wreaths and trees, musical performances and caroling, photos with Santa, screenings of popular holiday movies, a live auction and raffle, and plenty of cookies, cider, and hot chocolate to ward off the winter chill. 

Note: During the COVID-19 pandemic, certain events may be postponed or canceled, and attractions may not be open as regularly scheduled. We encourage you to check with each venue before planning your visit.

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RATES & HOURS

• Recreated Underground Tour
• Gold Panning

Spring 2024 Hours: 9am-5pm: May 2nd, 3rd, 4th & May 9th, 10th, 11th or schedule a tour on a different date by calling Tim at 605-639-3028 or Dave at 303-884-0357.

Starting May 13th our summer hours are:

Monday – Saturday 9:00am-5:00pm

Closed Sunday

MAIN FLOOR EXHIBITS

Adults (13+)  |  $8

Children (12 and under)  |  FREE if accompanied by an adult

RECREATED UNDERGROUND TOUR

Adult (18-64)  |  $15

Teen (10-17)  |  $8

Children (9 and younger)  |  FREE if accompanied by an adult

Students (18+ with student ID)  |  $13

Seniors (65+)  |  $13

Military (with military ID)  |  $13

Group rates available with advance notice

Includes access to main floor exhibits

Educational Field Trips & School Groups

K-8  |   $3

9-12+  |  $5

Schools will not be charged tax if a tax exempt number is provided

Drivers, teachers and chaperones are free

PANNING BLACK HILLS GOLD

Learn to pan for gold. You are guaranteed to find gold and you keep what you find!

*All prices are plus tax. Prices and hours subject to change without notice.

Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center

Review Highlights

“ The Center is free but there is also a Trolley Tour for a reasonable fee. ” in 2 reviews

“ Go see the view of the gulch, then go inside the free visitor center to learn about the 8,000 feet deep gold mine. ” in 2 reviews

“ For sure make a quick stop here in Lead if you're on your way to Deadwood . ” in 3 reviews

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160 West Main St

Lead, SD 57754

Serving Lead Area

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The Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center represents the front door to the Sanford Underground Research Facility, or SURF. For most visitors, the site may be the only exposure to America's deep underground research. The Visitor Center welcomes the STEM curious public, including educational groups of all ages, intent on learning about SURF specifically and science generally. Visitors looking for opportunities to learn about the culture and commerce of the region start their experience here. As a gateway to the city of Lead, the Visitor Center also serves the community of Lead (and nearby Deadwood), western South Dakota, and the Northern Black Hills, both as a community resource beyond the doors of SURF and a tourist destination about the city’s history. During the summer of 2024, access to the southern Black Hills will be limited due to construction on US Highway 385. Learn more about this project and possible delays or closures at the South Dakota Department of Transportation website: us-385.com. …

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This was not in my itinerary to go here. It was recommended by our friends who are residence of Deadwood. For sure make a quick stop here in Lead if you're on your way to Deadwood. Pretty cool to learn and see the mine from above ground. It was active until 1998. There are tours available.

See all photos from Myphuong L. for Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center

What are they doing down there? Lol Very interesting and fun to question when science is underground - why such a big hole anyway ? Whatever is going on, this will give you a quick science 101 if anything- Highlight of my trip- Stargate?

See all photos from Andrea B. for Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center

Go see the view of the gulch, then go inside the free visitor center to learn about the 8,000 feet deep gold mine. Interesting video displays showing the mining efforts and gold rendering process. Historical photos on the walls, as well as a mining elevator you can explore.

This is a nerdy tourist stop that we really enjoyed after a day exploring the nearby Spearfish Canyon. The free visitor center has a lot of information on both the history & workings of the former gold mine and the new scientific use of the mines for advance physics experiments. The gal at the front desk was very friendly and helped introduce us to the space. This is worth a detour if you like learning how stuff works.

Had a very enjoyable afternoon touring the visitor center, looking at the spectacular views of the open cut, then taking the trolley tour around Lead and learning some history of the city and the Homestake Gold Mine. Our tour guide, Marianna, was a lot of fun and so energetic.

Visiting the Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center was one of the highlights of my trip to western South Dakota. I was with a Road Scholar tour group so I was lucky enough to hear a presentation by Executive Director Donna Job. If you have an opportunity to hear her speak, don't miss her! She gave a comprehensive but highly understandable overview of the evolution of the mine to a state of the art physics lab. I came away understanding more about neutrinos and their potential role for the future.

We visited the Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center during the Sturgis Rally. It was very clean and the staff were courteous and knowledgeable. The Center is free but there is also a Trolley Tour for a reasonable fee. The Trolley took us all over lead showing just how far the underground the mine goes. We got to go into one of the buildings that contains the shaft the scientists use. That was cool. Our guides knew what they were talking about.! The only slightly negative comment I have has to do with the souvenir's. I just thought they were kind of spendy. I can not afford $50 for a coffee mug, although I think it was a Yeti brand. I did get a reasonably priced sticker. They have a lot of t-shirts and sweatshirts for small-large people but I like a 3x and there were no big sizes. I do really recommend this place and the trolley tour.

The last time I visited Lead (pronounced Leed), the mine was still in operation but on the verge of winding down. Since the closing, the town has adopted tourism as one measure to help fill the void of all those lost gold mine jobs Lead is Deadwood's grittier cousin down the road and it has a lot of character. You probably won't spend too much time here unless you are staying at one of the local hotels/motels as a base for exploring the greater Black Hills area. It's not a bad choice.

The former open-cut for the Homestake Mining Company gold mining operation.

A fun little one room museum with an attached gift shop. The view of the gulch was pretty impressive and the tour of Lead and the former mining operation was a great way to see the town and learn about the town and gold mine. For the price, I'd say it was a fun little touristy thing to do for an afternoon. Pro Tip: You can extend your tour next door at the Mining Museum where they'll let you pan for gold and take you down into a simulated (read: mannequin filled) mine.

We enjoyed our tour very much here. The tour guide was knowledgeable and friendly. They really did a great job setting up the exhibit. We were very satisfied with our experience.

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Our Historic Preservation mission is to safeguard and celebrate important aspects of Lead’s history by providing awareness of the community’s built legacy through cultural heritage tourism, economic development and preservation.

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Lead has seen much change in the almost 150 years since its inception. Hover over the two photos below to see the transformation. Then, click the link at the bottom to see more past and present photos.

Lead has seen much change in the almost 150 years since its inception. Click the link at the bottom to see photos of our transformation.

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2023 SUMMER TOURS HAVE ENDED. The Broken Boot will reopen May 25, 2024.

Step into the Black Hills best underground mine tour and return to a time when the powerful punch of a miner’s pick and the roaring boom of another dynamite blast signaled the ongoing search for the richest veins of gold on Earth.

Follow the path of ore cars deep underground into the century-old drifts of the Broken Boot . Walk in the footsteps of thousands of faceless miners who sought their fortunes in the dark and explosive atmosphere of black powder and candlelight.

Visit the authentic Broken Boot Gold Mine, step into history and dig into the past.

1200 Pioneer Way – Deadwood, South Dakota Ample parking available Open daily 8 am – 6 pm, May 27, 2023 through Labor Day. Last *regular* tour of the day at 5pm.

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Child (5 yrs & under), student (6 – 17 yrs), adult (18 – 59 yrs), senior (60 yrs & older), military (w/ id), candlelight ghost tour, gold panning, gold panning lesson (you keep the gold), gold panning lesson + gold pan (you keep the gold and the pan), gold pan (no lesson, no gold, you just want the tools of the trade.).

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The Moscow Metro Tour is included in most guided tours’ itineraries. Opened in 1935, under Stalin’s regime, the metro was not only meant to solve transport problems, but also was hailed as “a people’s palace”. Every station you will see during your Moscow metro tour looks like a palace room. There are bright paintings, mosaics, stained glass, bronze statues… Our Moscow metro tour includes the most impressive stations best architects and designers worked at - Ploshchad Revolutsii, Mayakovskaya, Komsomolskaya, Kievskaya, Novoslobodskaya and some others.

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The guide will not only help you navigate the metro, but will also provide you with fascinating background tales for the images you see and a history of each station.

And there some stories to be told during the Moscow metro tour! The deepest station - Park Pobedy - is 84 metres under the ground with the world longest escalator of 140 meters. Parts of the so-called Metro-2, a secret strategic system of underground tunnels, was used for its construction.

During the Second World War the metro itself became a strategic asset: it was turned into the city's biggest bomb-shelter and one of the stations even became a library. 217 children were born here in 1941-1942! The metro is the most effective means of transport in the capital.

There are almost 200 stations 196 at the moment and trains run every 90 seconds! The guide of your Moscow metro tour can explain to you how to buy tickets and find your way if you plan to get around by yourself.

Homestake and Lead history

Sanford lab homestake visitor center.

Learn how the Black Hills hold significance to those who have visited and called it home. The Hills hold great importance to numerous tribes, including the Oceti Sakowin, serving as a sacred space and a place of origin. After gold was discovered, miners and others flocked to the Hills from all over the world—especially as Homestake expanded. These individuals shaped the community of Lead for generations.

A Physics Landmark

Dr. Raymond Davis Jr. was one of the first scientists to understand the value of conducting research deep underground. His pioneering solar neutrino experiment influenced future neutrino and astrophysics research and set the stage for a deep underground laboratory in Lead, South Dakota. Explore the experiment that earned Dr. Davis a share of the 2002 Nobel Prize in Physics, while learning more about the world-leading research taking place among the drifts of the Sanford Underground Research Facility.

Geology and Mining

Discover the geology of the Black Hills, an island in the plains with unique mineral resources. The discovery in 1876 of an incredibly rich vein of gold ore led to the establishment of the Homestake Gold Mine, which became the largest and deepest gold mine in North America during 126 years in operation.

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