VERMILLION, S.D. (KCAU) — Music lovers got the rare opportunity to wander through more than a century of music artifacts Thursday in Vermillion.

The National Music Museum held a ribbon cutting for its newest facility, the Center for Preservation and Research. The 23,000-foot space is the new home of museum artifacts not on display at the main facility located on campus.

Though in service since 2020, this is the first time the public has been able to tour the $3 million facility that provides a dynamic space for research and discovery, as well as conservation and photography labs.

“This particular building is pretty much in its complete state. Now we’re working on bringing all the permanent exhibits up to… telling the story in a new way with fresh ideas up to some museum standards. Again 50 years is a good time to be able to do that,” said Dwight Vaught, museum director.

Vaughn says the new exhibit spaces should be complete by this August.