The South Dakota Discovery Center in Pierre will hold a grand opening for a new exhibit on Sunday (July 20, 2025).
Exhibit Hall Manager Allison Graviett-Pfaff says LUNAR LIFE: Destination Mars was developed by a group of students and faculty at South Dakota State University thanks to a grant partnership with NASA.
Graviett-Pfaff talks about the first two pods kids of all ages get to explore.
She says the last pod is the laboratory and mining.
Graviett-Pfaff says Sunday’s grand opening ties in with a major date in history for space exploration– the Apollo 11 moon landing.
The grand opening for the LUNAR LIFE: Destination Mars exhibit at the Discovery Center is Sunday from 10am-5pm. Again, admission for everyone is free on Sunday.
The exhibit is projected to be open at the South Dakota Discovery Center in Pierre through May 2027.
Photo credit to Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group.
Photo credit to Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group.
Courtesy photo.
Courtesy photo.
Photo credit to Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group.
Photo credit to Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group.
Photo credit to Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group.
Photo credit to Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group.
Photo credit to Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group.
Photo credit to Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group.
Photo credit to Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group.
Photo credit to Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group.
Photo credit to Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group.
Written version below.
The South Dakota Discovery Center (SDDC) is excited to announce a new exhibit now open to exhibit hall visitors in Pierre. “Lunar Life: Destination Mars” is an immersive experience that demonstrates how humans will live on the moon as we prepare for a move towards Mars. It was developed by a group of students and faculty at South Dakota State University (SDSU) to engage young children with space exploration, the exhibit was made possible by the NASA South Dakota Space Consortium initiative. The grand opening event, in celebration of the Apollo 11 moon landing, for “Lunar Life” is this Sunday, July 20, 2025, 10am-5pm. Join the fun, grab a NASA swag bag, and experience life on the moon!
“Lunar Life takes visitors through the life of an astronaut living on the moon, immersing them in realistic space experiences—simulating a station on the Moon to explore different aspects of life in space: growing food, mining, exercise and basic physical science concepts such as airflow, speed and pressure,” says Anne Lewis, SDDC executive director. “We encourage schools and other groups to book their visits and families to make their plans now to see this exciting traveling exhibit before it is too late.”
Starting at the command center, visitors work through pods that relate to different areas of moon living. The exhibition features a wide range of activities related to life on the moon including, demonstrations of growing food, problem-solving within the habitat, exercising, and many more interactive opportunities that allow budding astronauts to work through a day in the life of living on the moon.
Plan your visit today at sd-discovery.org. Lunar Life: Destination Mars is free with membership or admission to the SDDC Exhibit Hall. Summer Hours (May 1-August 31) are Monday-Saturday, 10:00am-5:00pm, Sunday 1:00pm-5:00pm. Winter hours (September 1-April 30) are Tuesday-Friday and Sunday, 1:00pm-5:00pm, Saturday, 10:00am-5:00pm. Birthday Parties, Group Visits, and STEMventure programming to enhance visitor experience can be booked in advance. The exhibit is projected to be open through May 2027.
The vision of the South Dakota Space Grant Consortium (SDSGC) is to expand opportunities for all South Dakotans through education, research, and public service in the fields of aerospace, earth science, and supporting STEM disciplines. As the link between NASA and the citizens of South Dakota, SDSGC’s mission is to instill the spirit of exploration and discovery in students and educators and in the general public, with a special focus on the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math that are essential for the development of the nation’s workforce.
The SDDC delivers hands-on learning experiences about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) that create curiosity, excitement, and lifelong STEM exploration. You can support its mission and projects like this by donating online at sd-discovery.org. As an institutional member of SDSGC, it has received funding to support mission aligned programming and outreach since 2007. SDSGC awarded SDSU a grant to create Lunar Life, a realistic habitat like those being proposed by NASA for moon habitation, in an effort to build interest in space and space travel among kids. By the end of 2030, NASA predicts people will be living on the moon and traveling to Mars.
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