PIERRE — The South Dakota State Historic Preservation Office, in conjunction with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, will be hosting Archaeology Camp in Pierre on June 4-6 for students in grades 4-6.

At Archaeology Camp, campers will be introduced to the field of archaeology. They will learn the purpose of archeological digs and the stories that artifacts can tell people about the past. In addition to excavation at the site, campers will enjoy other fun activities such as processing artifacts, practicing with atlatls, and visiting historic sites around town including the Oahe Chapel and the Turtle Effigy. This camp is an active, outdoor experience on a real archaeological site. Campers should be prepared to hike, work in dirt, listen carefully, and follow directions from camp leaders and professional archaeologists.

The camp will run June 4-6 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The program requires students to attend all three days and is for students going into grades 4-6 for the 2024-25 school year (no exceptions). Registration is limited to the first 20 applicants who have not previously attended. Prior participants may apply, but their names will be added to a lottery and only considered if there are fewer than 20 new campers. Prior registration is required.

Registration will begin May 1 at 8 a.m. CDT and will close when the camp is full or on May 3, whichever comes first. Registrations are automatically logged in the order in which they are received. In previous years, registration was full and closed within 20 minutes of opening. The registration fee is $35 per camper. Once available, registration will be found here: https://www.sdhsf.org/ archaeology-camp-registration.html.

For more information on the camp, visit https://history.sd.gov/preservation/ ArchaeologyCamp.aspx or contact Jenna Carlson Dietmeier at 605-773-8370 or jenna.carlsondietmeier@state.sd.us.