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Established in 1892, the World's Only Corn Palace in Mitchell was conceived to showcase the area harvest and prove the fertility of the South Dakota prairie.
Today, more than 250,000 visitors travel to the Corn Palace to see a building "made of corn." In actuality, the exterior of the building is decorated with elaborate murals made with thousands of bushels of South Dakota grains and grasses. The murals are designed by local artists. One was renowned artist Oscar Howe, who designed the murals from 1948 through 1971. It costs over $130,000 and takes approximately 20 employees to build the murals each summer.
The building itself serves as a community venue for events, exhibits, concerts and other community happenings, including a polka festival each fall. The Corn Palace is home to the Dakota Wesleyan University and Mitchell High School kernel basketball teams.
The current building is the third since 1892, completed at the present location in 1921.
The attraction is free to the public and open 8am-9pm from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
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