Hoċokata Ṫi — Attraction in Shakopee

We had the privilege of visiting Hoċokata Ti, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community’s (SMSC) cultural center in Shakopee, MN, while attending our family reunion in Minneapolis. It was an easy drive, about 30 minutes or so from the Mall of Americas area.

The Center is architecturally stunning! As you drive up the road to the center you are captivated by several massive tepee structures situated behind the Center. We were later informed that they are ceremonial building not open to the public, but you can appreciate how awe-inspiring they are from a balcony view inside the center.

The staff who greet you are super friendly and helpful, making sure your visit is enjoyable. Our tour, which cost only $8 for adults, started with a short, beautifully narrated film projected in a circular room with a simulated sky component that was enchanting as well as educational. The museum exhibits are well-done and incorporate some interactive elements. There is enough to appeal to all ages and it is easy to navigate. We spent about a little over an hour in the museum.

After the film and tour of the museum, we spent quite a bit of additional time in the gift shop, which features a wide variety of Native-made art, jewelry, books, music, craft items, and foods. I’m a foodie, so I took home a pound of hand-harvested wild rice and enjoyed sampling a unique bag of cactus chips, that were surprisingly tasty to everyone. Upon exiting the center, staff provided coloring books and crayons for the kids, which was a nice touch.

Personally, I don’t know how anyone can visit the area and overlook visiting a site which showcases the indigenousness people and their culture. It should be visibly promoted on state and local tourism sites and shared with hotel guests looking for recommended excursions in visiting the Twin Cities. I had to be intentional, doing a google search, to find anything on Native-American cultural sites and experiences in the area. My recommendation: Don’t overlook Hoċokata Ti during your visit to Minneapolis and St. Paul. It is so worthwhile and...

I visited this museum with an older gentleman Indo primary care for and was absolutely amazed from the outside of the building throughout the whole exhibit! I am only giving it 4 stars instead of five as some of the exhibit was at a height that when in a wheelchair you would not be able to see it. If a few of the things that are nailed down were at an angle it would work so much better. The exhibit itself and the items contained within it were just fantastically done. You were encouraged to touch and feel everything. There was a family cabin you could go in and lay on the "beds", a real tepee you could go inside and sit and listen to different stories, a real hollowed out tree trunk used as a canoe found in lake minnetonka. The exhibits were plentiful! It was sad to understand how land was taken and swindled from the native Americans and the information from the wars. I learned so much! I would definitely go back to read and listen to even more of what they had available. Don't forget to stop in the museum shop as the local art and items are well worth the stop! I bought a picture and so did the person I care for. You can not taken pictures in the actual exhibit so the photos I have here are of the outer building, the entrance to the exhibit and shop. Go visit, the cost is free for over 65 and for me it was...

I was able to join my 4th grader's field trip to the Hocokata Ti; nothing like learning about and experiencing a different culture with a hundred 11-12yr olds (we plan to go back and spend more time with the exhibits as a family in the future). The staff was great; shared about Dakota culture, history, traditions, and values in an interactive and engaging way. While the focus of the tour and exhibit space was on the local Dakota, their collection preserves artifacts from across the country including artifacts from 100+ tribes. We were able to visit the exhibit space, learn about archives and preservation, and the kids got a lesson...